Charlemagne Palestine, Schlingen Blangen, 2010. Performance at Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Newcastle. Courtesy the artist. Photograph: Louise Hepworth

An immersive and powerful solo organ performance that slowly builds over six hours in the peaceful environment of the Church of St Thomas the Martyr, this is the second event in the Charlemagne Palestine Trilogy. Palestine fully embraces the giant scale of the instrument, using all its pipes to play many tones at once, which magically vibrate and combine in the air. This performance was last heard on one of the world's largest pipe organs at the First Congretional Church, Los Angeles (2009) and at St Giles Church, London (2008). Durational experience is at the heart of Palestine's work: despite his affiliation with miminalist composers such as Philip Glass and Steve Reich he prefers to describe himself as a maximalist. 

This event celebrates the launch of a limited edition 8-hour 4-CD release of Schlingen Blangen recorded at St Giles Church, London and First Congregational Church, Los Angeles, on blastfirstpetite. 

Co-produced by AV Festival 10 and blastfirstpetite in partnership with Church of St Thomas the Martyr.