Classical music's ten dirtiest secrets — David Hurwitz makes a good point on the reasons behind the decline of classical music in contemporary culture.

And yes, Liszt was a great pianist and an influential figure in music history, but fundamentally as a composer he is just no damn good. The Hungarian Rhapsodies are fun and easy to listen to, but how many times can one hear them before they turn stale? As for everything else, when you take away the Romantic posturing and facile affectations and technical demands, what is left? The only reason his music is still performed is because it is a vehicle for pianists to show-off. That, and his good-looks and torrid love affairs and old-age conversion to pious religiosity continues to provides material for juicy biographies.