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Gustav Mahler, 1860-1911
In Concert
Austrian composer and conductor Gustav Mahler became popular in the late 19th century for his emotionally charged and subtly orchestrated symphonies.
Born on July 7, 1860, Mahler served as director for the Vienna Court Opera from 1897 to 1907. On January 1, 1908, Mahler debuted as director of New York City's Metropolitan Opera. One year later he was conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He returned to Vienna to die of heart disease on May 18, 1911. He passed away before he fully completed his tenth and final symphony.
After his death, Mahler's work went largely unacknowledged. It took decades for his community to recognize his influence; he is now regarded as a pioneer of 20-century composition techniques, particularly progressive tonality. He wrote 10 symphonies during his career, which became popular for their 20th-century techniques and emotional character.
When Flower first heard his Symphony No. 2, she was moved to tears. She said, "It made her so homesick for the Inner Worlds." She almost need to leave the church it was that powerful.
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Another glorious composer of Gemini extraction was Gustav Mahler. We should all hear his resurrection symphony.
Flower A. Newhouse, The Uniqueness of June