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.
rvpiano
After listening to the reconstructed Mahler Tenth I wind down with a couple spins of Hanky Panky by Tommy James and the Shondels.
rvpiano


For Listz I recommend to you this version of Obermann valley :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLk6vqaxU1Y

Close the light and listen to this volcanic eruption out of any other pianist possibility except Liszt himself perhaps...

Sometimes a composer is revealed only by a transcendental interpretation... This one is for me...

You can try Liszt evening bells it is on the same transcendental level by the same pianist...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0S1KDOC8is


Thanks for this excellent thread idea... My best
@tomic601  Legrand fan as well. I don't have access to that reissue / Impex remaster (via streaming).

Listening to 'At Shelly's Manne-Hole' with Michel Legrand alongside Ray Brown (bass) and Shelly Manne (drums)... : )
I manage to do a little of both. I find that exploring new music is like exploring new literature or hobbies. Keeps my 64 year old brain from more rapid distintigration.