Longest non-repetitive piano piece

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This Page lists some of the Longest non-repetitive piano pieces along with approximate duration.

Recorded or Performed Works:

• Michael Finnissy - The History of Photography in Sound (5 1/2 hours):
  • World Premiere by Ian Pace at The Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music in London on 28 January 2001, who has also performed it complete in Leuven, Glasgow, Montreal and Southampton. Recording for Metier in preparation.
  • Also performed by Mark Knoop at the Iwaki Auditorium, ABC Centre in Melbourne on 18 August 2002

• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji - Opus Clavicembalisticum (4 1/2 hours)
  • Most of parts premiered by composer himself at first.
  • Recorded and performed complete work by John Ogdon, a recording by Jonathan Powell will be undertaken following further performance experience with the work.
  • Performed and recorded as well by Geoffrey Douglas Madge
  • Performed only by Daan Vandewalle

• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji - Symphonic Variations (about 9 hours)
  • Only One Variation of the 81 in the set has been recorded by Michael Habermann - Variation 56.

• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji - Sequentia Cyclica Super Dies Irae Ex Missa pro Defunctis (about 5 1/4 hours)

• Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji - Sonata V (Opus Archimagicum) (about 6 hours)

• Also worth a mention is Sorabji's "Symphonic Nocturne". Although the estimated duration of the unperformed work is only around 2 hours, the work is in one continuous movement, such a duration being unusual even for Sorabji to be presented in a single movement.

• Frederic Rzewski - The Road (10 hours) (Only part of it was recorded)
  • Frederic Rzewski performed parts of it at concerts. Part of it is available on CD by Frederic Rzewski
  • A complete performance at Trinity College of Music, London, on May 8th 2006, featuring a wide range of pianists including Rzewski himself, Douglas Finch, Yonty Solomon, Philip Fowke, Philip Mead and Ian Pace, had a duration of a little under ten hours of music, so this may be the longest of all these pieces.

• Alvin Curran - Inner Cities (4 1/2 hours)
  • Inner Cities 1-11 (1991-2003) performed by Daan Vandewalle published by Long Distance Records (Harmonia Mundi) in March 2005.