...to persuade one that a particular piece of music is worth pursuing, that is.
I am currently having that experience with Franck's Les Béatitudes , which I had previously found a somewhat maudlin piece. The recording that has changed my mind is on Gala, conducted (in excellent sound) by Rafael Kubelik - a Bavarian Radio performance from 1974 featuring Jessye Norman, Brigitte Fassbaender, René Kollo, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, etc. Simply sublime!