But they never capture that the composer's intention is completely different. I once read a very convincing essay by Stockhausen. It was on the question why he used serial techniques. His argument was that one of the main aims of contemporary music was to seek new musical worlds which are completely beyond our experience. A composer shouldn't compose according to his imagination, since then he wouldn't create something really new.
Imagination is based on our experience.
This was the reason for him to use serial techniques. At this time serialism was just a method for him to achieve this purpose, not to put up perfect systems. And I agree that our aesthetics certainly are very similar. There is a lot I want to say about all this. Similar to you, I have a lot to say, which I will do in subsequent letters.