Ok...I was hoping it wouldn;t have to go to this distance but you have
taken it to the next level.  I think you made a good point when you said
you don't "think" Cage was just trying to stand out as an eccentric.  I
know MANY MANY people who would disagree.  I am not criticizing the man
in the least.  In fact, it was you who brought his name to this thread.
I TOTALLY disagree with you about the difference between creativity and
music.  I did NOT say that they were different but rather that some
composers, I feel, strive harder to acheive a standing of high originality
than a standing of high artistic merit.  Take a look at Frank Zappa.  The
man was a brilliant musician and quite an original composer.  At the samme
time I feel that he was more concerned with "what was" than "how it was".
What I mean is that I feel he was more concerned with the concept than the
production.  the sizzle without the steak mind you.

If you are disappointed then I don't know what to say other than live
with it.  You spoke your opinion and I totally disagree.  My opinion is
as qualified as yours or anyone else's on this list.  Just as yours is as
qualified as anyone else's.  I do agree with you on the point of rather
having 30 true listeners than 3,000 social crash dummies.  I myself am a
composer and I write original music.  I write what is in my heart and in
my head.  If noone likes my music then too bad for me.  I will continue to
write what I like.  But.....I am sure many people would agree that there
are people out there who, for lack of anything musically interesting,
churn out cerebral by-products with the intent of becoming the "new"
avante-garde.  This is just a fact of life.  Why did someone invent a 12
tone system? How ridiculous is that? The very nature of the system defeats
any true possibility of inspired art.  the creation of a pre-determined
system of tones seems to me to be the creation of a mind searching for
something other than what was presently known.  Doesn't seem like "actual"
music to me...but rather a new "groundbreaking" idea.  Maybe you can find
some examples of good 12 tone music but at its very roots lies a striving
for originality over musicality.  I'm sorry you're disappointed sir.  A
world of varying opinions is a vast free world indeed.

--Wes