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Response to Reichs It_s Gonna Rain 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 Steve Reich – “It’s Gonna Rain.”

Listening to "It's Gonna Rain" by Steve Reich for the first time evoked many different initial reactions within me. From the background that I come and my taste, the repetitive nature of the music does not suit me. Even though some listeners may find the repetitive nature of the composition to be hypnotic, meditative, and soothing, I find it somewhat monotonous, disorienting, irritating, and even overwhelming. In addition, the voice used is also jarring and unsettling. However, I can understand that for those familiar with the minimalist style of Reich and its techniques, "It's Gonna Rain" may be appreciated for its innovative use of tape loops, phase shifting, and found sounds. While listening to the composition intensely the first time, I noticed that it can create a hypnotic and trance-like effect but also a sense of boredom and repetitiveness. Furthermore, the repetitive, trance-like quality of the music somehow created a sense of impending doom or a feeling of being stuck in a cycle of destruction and renewal. Reich's experiment created a complex and ever-changing pattern of rhythm and sound, causing it to be a challenging composition that can elicit a range of reactions from listeners. Moreover, the use of found sounds and non-musical sources in "It's Gonna Rain" challenges traditional notions of what constitutes music and what does not, which can evoke curiosity and fascination. Still, for me, it caused more confusion and fear. Overall, I can state that the composition did provoke a range of mixed reactions in me, like fear and anxiety, but that did not stop me from recognizing the piece as a complex and multi-layered work. All in all, Reich's "It's Gonna Rain" is a significant piece of music that explores repetition and rhythm and may also be interpreted in a political or social context.
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