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Response to a piece of work by John Luther Adams – “Become Ocean.”

While listening to "Become Ocean" by Adams, I found the piece exceptionally intriguing, transcendent, and a profoundly moving experience, with its slowly evolving textures and immersive soundscapes eliciting a sense of curiosity and astonishment. In addition, the music's slow, meditative quality and ability to evoke the vastness of the ocean are also exceptionally striking. Moreover, the work's lush orchestration and hypnotic textures immediately drew me in, providing me with a beautiful transformative experience as it enabled me to calm down. Besides, I also understood the work's emphasis on the ocean as a vast and powerful force to hint at the impact of human activity on the natural world, urging us to take better care of our planet and its ecosystems. Therefore, Adams's work also has the ability to convey the majesty and complexity of the natural world and its enduring relevance to contemporary environmental issues. Overall, "Become Ocean" can be challenging or complex to many. Nonetheless, I have been deeply moved by its evocative power and ability to transport me to a place of contemplation and reflection, becoming only my second favorite contemporary classical music after Basonski's DP 3. All things considered, Adam's work is a remarkable achievement in contemporary classical music, a work that challenges us to rethink our relationship with the natural world and to find beauty in the vast and mysterious depths of the ocean. Its unique way of connecting us to nature makes the composition influential and impactful, providing a sense of calmness.

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