Time and Listening in the Music of William Basinski
Name: GILMAR ANTONIO MONTE
Publication date: 20/02/2026
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| DANIEL TAPIA | Examinador Interno |
| JOSE EDUARDO COSTA SILVA | Presidente |
| RENAN COLOMBO SIMÕES | Examinador Externo |
Summary: This study investigates the music of William Basinski through a phenomenological approach, drawing on Martin Heidegger’s reflections on time and being. The research departs from the hypothesis that Basinski’s work establishes a singular experience of temporality and listening, in which hypnotic repetition and sonic degradation transcend everyday chronological perception and lead the listener into a temporal field where past, present, and future coexist. The analysis examines how the use of degraded magnetic tape loops, a central element of Basinski’s poetics, reshapes the relationship between sound, memory, and transience, creating a sonic space that unveils the fragility of existence. The study focuses on three representative works: Disintegration Loop 1.1, Cascade, and Tear Vial, providing phenomenological descriptions of the sonic elements that structure their temporalities. It observes how processes of repetition, stability, and deterioration establish modes of listening that surpass mere passive hearing, approaching Heidegger’s notion of ontological time. The dissertation is organized into three chapters. The first presents the theoretical foundations, outlining the distinction between ontological and ontic time and discussing the concept of mousiké as a manifestation of the lógos of being. The second chapter offers phenomenological descriptions of the selected works, highlighting their temporal layers and the ways in which the materiality of the recordings shapes the perception of duration and memory. The third chapter synthesizes the findings, emphasizing how Basinski’s music not only reflects but transforms the perception of time and existence. By articulating the listening experience of Basinski’s works with Heideggerian ontology, this study seeks to broaden the understanding of music as a temporal and existential phenomenon, revealing its capacity to generate new forms of experience and modes of unveiling of being.
