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William Basinski - D|P 3

 

William Basinski’s composition “D|P 3“ from the year 1958 is a 42-minute-long masterpiece. Basinki’s composition is a repetition of the same sound pattern over and over again. “D|P 3“ feels like an excerpt from a Debussy piece, stretched to infinity. Obviously, the sound itself is the main component. The sound itself and composition are very difficult to explain. When I listened to it for the first time, I was overwhelmed by my emotions and impressions. Basinki’s composition transfers you in such an intense calmness that your body kind of “disconnects“. My heartbeat and breathing felt like they accommodated the sound pattern. “D|P 3“ reminds me of some other masterpieces, in which the main component of the composition is sound itself. The soundtrack of the movie “Interstellar“ called “Cornfield Chase“ by Hans Zimmer puts me in the same calming and relaxing vibe as “D|P 3“. Furthermore, “D|P 3“ reminds me of a movie soundtrack. William Basinski’s composition pictures a slow process of death. It seem as if one is dying slowly ad this death does not seems to be scary or frightening, but peaceful. It gives the impression if the world goes down and life ends, still, calmness, harmony, and peace rule. This impression is supported by the cover of Basinski’s “D|P 3“, illustrating the building of a city from a certain distance in the sunset, covered by dark, black, and dusty fume. Half of the illustration of the building is covered by fume and half of the sky shows the peaceful and harmonious sunset.

Although “D|P 3“ follows the same sound pattern over and over again, I as a listener do not feel annoyed by the repetition, which seems to be caused by the moments of near silence.

From a personal point of view, I really enjoyed the listening experience of Basinski’s “D|P 3“. Generally, I am into movie compositions in which the sound itself is the key element. Certainly, each composition is a masterpiece in itself and cannot be compared to one another: “D|P 3“ is a lot different from “Cornfield Chase“, but the feelings, emotions, and impressions I got as a listener were both very calming, comforting and hypnotic. Both compositions, or generally spoken, compositions in which the sound itself is the key element, mesmerize the listener and capture the listener’s mind and soul. Overall, Basinski’s “D|P 3“ was my favorite composition and listening experience from the seminar, although each composition was a special experience on its own.

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