Robert Shea on getting to know classical music

My Sangean HDR-16 radio, an HD radio, is the newest item in my radio collection. 

I am something of an antiquarian, in the sense that I collect radios and listen to music at home on my various radios. (The Schroedinger's Cat trilogy has a character who listens to a classical music station, and I have wondered what kind of radio RAW used when  he listened to classical radio stations. It may not be a question that obsesses most RAW fans). 

Robert Shea, like RAW, liked classical music, and here is his advice, which I endorse:

"Best general suggestion I can make on getting into classical music is to listen to your local classical station, which will probably be an FM station and may be a university station. Listen to a lot of stuff and make a note of the pieces that give you most pleasure. When you encounter something that gives you a particular thrill, buy a cassette or CD and play it a lot at  home. Ignore all critical bullshit about what you should like or not like; most music critics are the worst snobs in the world and just out to fuck up people’s heads. Just be a musical hedonist; follow the pleasure principle. Your taste will change as you familiarize yourself with the stuff, but you must be true to  your feelings. I used to think Mozart was for the birds; now I can’t get enough Mozart. So it goes. That is my advice. I have spoke."

Of course, nowadays he'd say "bookmark it on your streaming service," but I do find out about a lot of composers and pieces simply by listening to the radio.