Ian Bostridge's acclaimed study of Schubert's Winterreise - as heard on BBC Radio 4.

Schubert's Winterreise is one of the most powerful and one of the most enigmatic masterpieces in Western culture. In his new book, Schubert's Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession, Ian Bostridge - one of the work's finest interpreters - focusses on the context, resonance and personal significance of the work. Drawing on his vast experience of performing Winterreise, on his musical knowledge and on his training as a scholar, Ian Bostridge unpicks the enigmas and subtle meaning of each of the 24 songs to explore the world Schubert inhabited, bringing the work and its world alive for connoisseurs and new listeners alike.

"His beautifully produced book offers many new insights that will inform the enjoyment of both old admirers and newcomers to the music. ... Mr Bostridge is a good storyteller and keeps the reader in constant suspense."
The Economist, 17 January 2015

"Bostridge’s highly enjoyable book provides a rewarding, intelligently written companion to the piece for those who know it well, as well as for those who are approaching it for the first time."
Nick Rennison, The Sunday Times, 4 January 2015

"Winterreise, Bostridge argues, is “a message in a bottle set afloat in the cultural ocean of 1828” and, with the confidence of a master oarsman, Bostridge sails these waters with awesome virtuosity."
Neil Fisher, The Times, 3 January 2015

"In the book, he inhabits not only the work, but the man. And — his most important achievement in writing it — it sends you scurrying back to the music."
Dan Cairns, The Sunday Times, 28 December 2014

“Illuminating and comprehensive . . . rich, highly readable.”
Kirkus Reviews / November 2014 issue

"an impressive success: a long-gestated, intensely enjoyable study of Schubert's Winterreise"
Literary Review / Rupert Christiansen / December 2014