This is why a subscription to Tidal or Qobuz is worth the money -- you can explore music that you never knew existed or would not go out and buy or download. There is so much at my fingertips that I rarely walk over to my CD rack or access the digital storage already paid for.
A philosophical question.
I want to pose a sort of philosophical question about our listening to music.
The obvious answer to the question is that we should listen to whatever we damn please. But the query is: should we be happy listening to our favorite composers and compositions, or should we feel guilty about not exploring new horizons and music we’re prone to hate? For me, the obvious bitter pills are such as Liszt, Neilson and Bruckner, not to mention the Second Viennese school. We run the risk of close-mindedness by ignoring that which we don’t know and missing out on what what glories might be out there. On the other hand, we only have so much time, and there is a universe of more accessible music available.
I just wonder if this dilemma has crossed anyone else's mind.
The obvious answer to the question is that we should listen to whatever we damn please. But the query is: should we be happy listening to our favorite composers and compositions, or should we feel guilty about not exploring new horizons and music we’re prone to hate? For me, the obvious bitter pills are such as Liszt, Neilson and Bruckner, not to mention the Second Viennese school. We run the risk of close-mindedness by ignoring that which we don’t know and missing out on what what glories might be out there. On the other hand, we only have so much time, and there is a universe of more accessible music available.
I just wonder if this dilemma has crossed anyone else's mind.
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- 39 posts total
You should also read the replies in this thread, which I think show the range of opinions on this topic is quite large. To some, the idea you can learn to appreciate music you don't already appreciate is anathema. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/help-me-understand-john-coltrane-seriously |
A lot of times I will start a listening session with something new that maybe a friend, critic or relative recommends. Tidal is great for this type of exploring but once the system is warmed up if nothing grabs my attention, I will start playing music from my library. As has been said previously, we only have so much time but it is fun to find a new artist that is unknown to you. |
- 39 posts total