Wes Crone wrote:

>Sometimes I wonder if I am missing out by not listening to music by
>composers who don't do anything for me emotionally or on any other level.
>I also wonder if I am NOT missing a thing when I refuse the opportunity to
>listen to that which I dislike.  Is a person missing out when they don't
>take the time to listen to music they dislike?

I wish you a nice long life!  If you don't like something that is highly
praised by others, just put it aside for a while ... a month, a year,
a decade.  Come back to it later (if you feel like it) and you may be
surprised.  You may think it is just the music you have been longing for,
or you might confirm your original opinion of it, and say, "yes, this is
just a hunk of junk and I'm glad I didn't like it then, because I still
don't care for it."

If I was performing a piece I HAD to learn to like it.  Surprisingly, if
it was good stuff, I wound up liking it the more I worked on it.  Some
other pieces I have played had the wearing-value of a pet rock.  I like
to stretch my taste in music by listening to new things, but if I really
hate them, why should I punish myself? There are so many wonderful pieces
of music I could be listening to right now that it makes no sense to force
myself to listen to something I absolutely abhor.

The answer to your question then, is, yes, sometimes, perhaps, maybe,
partially.  Of course you are 'missing out' on something you don't hear,
but your taste is sufficiently broad and the alternatives are so vast that
there is no reason to beat yourself up for not liking something now.  Maybe
it will grab you in a while, maybe not.  Does it really matter? I don't
think so.

Mimi Ezust