Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Speaking as someone who probably spends more time listening to classical music than 'pop' in all its forms (I only ever post a small selection of my classical listens here) I'd be the first to say that not every piece ever written was great, even though I've rarely encountered a bar of Beethoven that didn't move me. What I do find is that classical music requires much more concentration than most other genres to get the most from it. If I'm doing something else, like driving or reading, it becomes background music much more readily than amplified music does. So I endeavour to listen intently to a symphony or quartet, preferably with a miniature score in front of me, and try to immerse myself in it. I'm not saying that always results in musical nirvana, because some works (and performances for that matter) are indeed less great than others, and if I'm low or tired I invariably get less from the music, whatever it is. In short, I have to be in the mood for it! But when my brain engages full on with a piece, there's no greater pleasure on this earth.

I think it's also true that chamber and instrumental music tends to be less viscerally thrilling than orchestral, and thus requires even more attentive listening to fully reveal its colours, sonorities and dynamics. Stick with those Piano Trios, Flash: they're worth it!