The most important requirements needed to make the most of your experience of listening to classical music are to:
1) have an open mind,
2) pay attention while listening,
3) let your imagination free, and
4) trust your taste.
By being open-minded, we mean that you should liberate yourself from all prejudices and stereotypes related to classical music which might influence you in a negative way. The one thing to have in mind is that you might not like a piece when hearing it the first time but it might grow on you the second, third or fourth time. It might even take more time to "get" the music, so insisting on listening it is absolutely important and enormously rewarding.
Paying attention is also crucial for classical music induction, as opposed to other music styles which might "play" in the background without even being noticed. What you should be listening for, is how the melody, the rhythm and the nuances evolve and transform so that you discover the emotions, scenes or stories hidden in the music. Therefore, imagining is key: you should try to visualize scenes, landscapes, stories, movement. By providing some imagery, photos and videos, and context with the piece, we try to help you in building these mental representations which will enhance your listening experience. While imagining, you could also reflect your own stories, images and ideas in the music so that you make the music your own and amplify your emotions.
Finally, you have to trust your taste. The world of classical music includes many different styles and your instinct is the most important element to judge which one of these you prefer. In our 123 favorite pieces, we have attempted to represent most of these styles. We really hope that through this selection you will find the music you will love and this will drive you deeper into the treasures of classical music.