A love of classical music is only partially a natural response to hearing the works performed, it also must come about by a decision to listen carefully, to pay close attention, a decision inevitably motivated by the cultural and social prestige of the art.

This quote means that loving classical music is not just something that automatically happens when you hear the classical music, it is something that you must choose to do. This decision to listen carefully and to pay attention to classical music is motivated by how special and respected it is in our culture and society.