One persons 'vibe without a statement' is another person's statement. I think of the stuff I make, which, as of late has mostly consisted of long drones, as having a great deal of emotional content; but I could easily understand why someone wouldn't think that. And although Cage might be maddened by this, I find his late period 'number pieces' (particularly the 'one's) to be weirdly moving; again, I wouldn't expect everyone to see it this way.
My problem with melody (and I have no real problem with melody-- everyone likes to sing a jaunty tune now and again) is that in the wrong hands it tends to lead you around by the nose. In the right hands, of course, it's sublime. But no one's ever going to agree on whos hands are the right ones. That's what makes music so interesting.
T
