| | I was introduced to Mr. Cage's "art" some 40 years ago. Silence (nothing), in the hands of a great artist like Maria Callas, is powerful because it builds tension before a great statement (something). I think of the agonizing silence in Callas' rendition of "J'ai perdu mon Eurydice" when she realizes her lover is dead. "Eurydice! Eurydice! (silence). Mortal Silence." A get goose-bumps just thinking about it. Silence, in this example, is a rythmic contribution, and you hear every beat of hers and your heart as you endure it.
The fact that Mr. Cage exists doesn't bother me, as even a cursory glance at any area of thought reveals charlatans and idiots. What discourages me is that 40 years later, there is still a need to discuss him.
This, you have done brilliantly, and, one can only hope, finally. The contribution you have made to music by means of this article surpasses Cage's entire lifetime output, and you did it without writing one solitary note. With the artistic death of John Cage, perhaps the good name of silence can be resurrected.
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