Contents
Gustav Mahler
Writing symphonies that combine orchestral drama, song and vast emotional contrasts.
Resurrection Symphony · Das Lied von der Erde
- Born
- 7 July 1860
- Birthplace
- Kaliště, Czech Republic
- Died
- 18 May 1911
More people
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was an Austro-Bohemian composer and conductor. Celebrated during his lifetime for conducting, he left symphonies and song cycles that became central to the concert repertoire after his death.
Early life
Bohemian childhood
Born in Kaliště, he grew up in Jihlava in a German-speaking Jewish family.
Vienna training
Entered the Vienna Conservatory in 1875 and trained as a pianist and composer.
Career
- 1880–1897
Opera appointments
Built a conducting career in regional theatres, Budapest and Hamburg.
- 1897–1907
Vienna Court Opera
Directed the company and pursued demanding musical and theatrical standards.
- 1908–1911
New York seasons
Conducted at the Metropolitan Opera and led the New York Philharmonic.
Selected work
Symphony No. 2
The Resurrection Symphony brings soloists and chorus into an orchestral account of death and renewal.
Symphony No. 5
Includes the intimate string-and-harp Adagietto.
Das Lied von der Erde
Combines the song cycle and symphony in settings of translated Chinese poetry.
Beyond work
Summer composing
Composed much of his music during breaks from conducting, often in secluded summer huts.
Alma Mahler
Married Alma Schindler in 1902; the couple had two daughters.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: Moritz Nähr. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
