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Reponse to Basinskis Future of American Music

 Future of American Music

Lecturer: Mr. Prof. Dr. Herzogenrath

Student: Ahmad Deyhimi 7167063

10 Hearing Responses for the Hausarbeit

 

Response to a piece of work by William Basinski – “DP 3.”

 

My initial response to listening to William Basinski's DP 3 was tremendous. The slowly disintegrating loops create a profound and intensely moving sense of nostalgia and melancholy. Of all the experimental pieces of music we listened to throughout the course, I enjoyed William's ambient and experimental music the most due to its innovative sound and emotional resonance, which is profoundly moving, haunting, and contemplative. Furthermore, the slowly decaying loops of orchestral music create a sense of nostalgia and loss. The album's haunting and emotionally resonant soundscapes prompted my engagement as the soundscapes feel almost like a living organism, slowly transforming and mutating over time, giving the album a sense of unpredictability and spontaneity that adds to its emotional impact. In addition, I also perceived the music as a kind of meditation on the passage of time and the impermanence of all things. Its intense emotional impact makes it an overwhelming piece of art that provokes a sense of unease and sadness. Adding to its emotional intensity and cinematic quality, the orchestral loops in Basinski's work of art are beautifully layered and arranged in such a way that it creates a fierce sense of depth and texture, making it transcendent and otherworldly. The music is so effective and compelling that the audience can easily recognize the themes of loss and decay. The album's emotional depth and sonic richness make it a powerful work of art that speaks to something fundamental in the human experience. Moreover, the decaying tape loops create a sense of deterioration and decay that feels organic and authentic rather than forced or contrived. Thus, in my view, its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia and melancholy without resorting to sentimentality or cliches makes it a remarkable and unique piece of art. 

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