Longplayer
Encyclopedia
"Longplayer" is a piece of music
that is designed to last for one thousand years
. It started to play on 1 January 2000, and if all goes as planned, will continue without repetition
until 31 December 2999, at which point it will restart.
"Longplayer" is based on an existing piece of music, 20 minutes and 20 seconds in length, which is processed by computer using a simple algorithm
. This gives a large number of variations, which, when played consecutively, gives a total runtime of 1000 years.
The original music was composed by Jem Finer
, who was also one of the founding members of the group The Pogues
. It uses Tibet
an singing bowl
s and gong
s, which are able to create a range of sounds by either striking or rolling pieces of wood around the rims. This source music was recorded in December 1999. It was commissioned by Artangel
.
"Longplayer" could be heard in the relaxation zone of the Millennieum Dome in London
during its year of opening in 2000. The piece was also played in the 19th century lighthouse
at Trinity Buoy Wharf
and other public listening posts in the United Kingdom
, United States
, Australia
and Egypt
, where it can still be heard today. It can also be heard via an Icecast
Internet
stream
, hosted (as of 2008) by Greenwich-based SPC.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
that is designed to last for one thousand years
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
. It started to play on 1 January 2000, and if all goes as planned, will continue without repetition
Repetition (music)
Repetition is important in music, where sounds or sequences are often repeated. One often stated idea is that repetition should be in balance with the initial statements and variations in a piece. It may be called restatement, such as the restatement of a theme...
until 31 December 2999, at which point it will restart.
"Longplayer" is based on an existing piece of music, 20 minutes and 20 seconds in length, which is processed by computer using a simple algorithm
Algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
. This gives a large number of variations, which, when played consecutively, gives a total runtime of 1000 years.
The original music was composed by Jem Finer
Jem Finer
Jem Finer is an English musician, artist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Pogues.-Life and career:...
, who was also one of the founding members of the group The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
. It uses Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an singing bowl
Singing bowl
Singing bowls are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, singing bowls sit with the bottom surface resting...
s and gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
s, which are able to create a range of sounds by either striking or rolling pieces of wood around the rims. This source music was recorded in December 1999. It was commissioned by Artangel
Artangel
Artangel is a London-based arts organisation founded in 1985 by Roger Took. Directed since 1991 by James Lingwood and Michael Morris, it has commissioned and produced a string of notable site-specific works, plus several projects for TV, film, radio and the web...
.
"Longplayer" could be heard in the relaxation zone of the Millennieum Dome in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during its year of opening in 2000. The piece was also played in the 19th century lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
at Trinity Buoy Wharf
Trinity Buoy Wharf
Trinity Buoy Wharf, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, is the site of London's only lighthouse, by the confluence of the River Thames and Bow Creek, at Leamouth. The lighthouse no longer functions, and is the home of various art projects such as Longplayer...
and other public listening posts in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, where it can still be heard today. It can also be heard via an Icecast
Icecast
Icecast is a streaming media project released as free software maintained by the Xiph.org Foundation. It also refers specifically to the server program which is part of the project. Icecast was created in December 1998/January 1999 by Jack Moffitt and Barath Raghavan to provide an open source...
Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
stream
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
, hosted (as of 2008) by Greenwich-based SPC.