How do "Sonatas and Interludes" by John Cage compare to pieces from Beethoven?

I believe Cage was going back to the root meaning of the word "sonata" which is simply "sounded." The term was used in the Baroque period to denote pieces that were played as opposed to pieces that were sung, called "cantatas." So if anything I'd say he was going back to Bach more than he was to Beethoven, but mostly I think he was just using the term for its true translation.