Franz Schubert's Winterreise is at the same time one of the most powerful and on
e of the most enigmatic masterpieces in Western culture. In his new book, Schube
rt's Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession, Ian Bostridge - one of the work's
finest interpreters - focusses on the context, resonance and personal significan
ce of a work which is possibly the greatest landmark in the history of Lieder. D
rawing equally on his vast experience of performing this work (he has performed
it more than a hundred times), on his musical knowledge and on his training as a
scholar, Bostridge unpicks the enigmas and subtle meaning of each of the twenty
-four songs to explore for us the world Schubert inhabited, bringing the work an
d its world alive for connoisseurs and new listeners alike.
