Max Richter
With SLEEP, British composer Max Richter has created what is likely the longest single-movement piece of classical music ever recorded. Musically, this work, with its extraordinary length, stands in the tradition of composers such as LaMonte Young, Terry Riley, and John Cage. In this eight-hour lullaby, Richter wanted to explore how 'the brain can be a habitat for music when our consciousness is on vacation.' During the composition process, he consulted with the renowned American neuroscientist David Eagleman to gain deeper insights into brain function during sleep. As a lullaby, SLEEP connects to a centuries-old tradition that began with Bach's Goldberg Variations, composed for a sleepless count. Released in 2015 by Deutsche Grammophon (DG), this monumental work is conceived as an eight-hour version—a manifesto for slowing down life.