Wagner's Overture to Tannhäuser is a particular favorite.
Even you have redeeming qualities!

I suppose listening to a piece of music like that is a bit like reading a chapter from a book in isolation: while it might be brilliant prose, it is out of context. Likewise, I think sometimes operatic pieces suffer when not heard in a full performance. (I, personally, could listen to this one over and over without seeing the whole performance, however).



I think can agree with you that, while the ability to appreciate beauty might have to be taught, the act of appreciating it is a subjective one. So, while I might think my wife is ugly, and you consider her beautiful, there is a quality of "beauty" out there somewhere that we both subscribe to: an idea of what beauty is. Science cannot explain what that is.

TYWD