It’s all too easy to forget how people who don’t spend their every waking hour listening to ‘classical’ music react when a great, immediately appealing piece crosses their paths and they’re instantly hooked. The less familiar masters are all well and good – and should be programmed, broadcast and recorded on a regular basis – but for novices they pose more of a challenge, often to the extent that a lack of time gets in the way of a dawning appreciation. But I do get heartily sick and tired of the ‘why-yet-another-recording/broadcast/performance’ brigade when the answer is staring you full in the face: these listeners love the music.  Enough said, and never mind ratings and the rest of it. That’s corporate speak and shouldn’t concern the likes of us.