Ian Bostridge's Schubert's Winter Journey - Anatomy of an Obsession is perfect reading for preparing to listen to Schubert's masterpiece. I know this because prior to reading the book I had no idea of what Schubert was up to, beyond creating something that sounded pretty good. I'm now up to the fourteenth chapter, and the fourteenth song of the cycle, and I've finally got a fairly reasonable idea of what's going on, and, more importantly, I find myself loving every note. Not to mention the fact that I've learnt a whole lot I needed to know about German Romanticism - which has deepened enormously my grasp of the British version.
One other small point: it's a beautifully produced paperback in every way. A physical pleasure in itself. No wonder I've never bothered to get a Kindle.
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