This question pops up quite often indeed, which doesn't make it easier
to answer though, since every music lover did start at a different point,
and has his or hers own frame of reference, likes and dislikes, as I have.
I started through a school mate, who introduced me to the sonatines by
Kuhlau(!!!!) and the Rhapsody in Blue, and consequently to the Bruch and
Mendelssohn violin concertos, my late father showed me the beauty of the
Mozart piano sonatas and of the Mazurkas by Chopin, and now, 43 years
later, I am trying to understand Ligeti's cello concerto.  So I would say,
there is not one route, but every one should follow his own methods, listen
to the radio, read music magazines, buy budget price CD's.  To end in
German:  "prufet alles und das Gute behaltet":try everything and keep what
you like.

Peter Wisse
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