Jan Templiner replies to Don Satz:

>Taken Don's thoughts only one step further, all rules are worthless,
>because ultimately man-made.

Not at all.  Taking your non sequitur one step further, anything man made
is worthless.

>Do we really want music without rules?

That's not the question.  Are rules an end in themselves, or are they
a means to an end? There are many systems where the rules are indeed the
end, but I do not believe that music is one of them.

>I think this is one of the central problems of contemporary art: The lack
>of rules.

And I would counter that much of what you likely find wrong with some
contemporary art is the pursuit of different ends from those you value.

>I think the audience has to demand that rules are followed, not applaud
>everything.

That's certainly one thing that audiences could demand.  I'd rather demand
that I be entertained, challenged, provoked, etc..

len.