Late RomanticGustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was born in Bohemia, today’s Czech Republic.
Gustav Mahler’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1860👶 Birth
Born in Kaliště on 7 July; childhood in Jihlava
- 1874🌍 Meanwhile
First exhibition of the Impressionist painters
- 1875📚 Trainingage 15
Enters the Vienna Conservatory
- 1875🌍 Meanwhile
The Palais Garnier opera house opens in Paris
- 1880🎩 Careerage 20
First conducting post at a small spa
- 1888🎩 Careerage 28
Director of the Budapest Opera; completes his Symphony No. 1
- 1889🌍 Meanwhile
The Eiffel Tower opens for the World’s Fair
- 1895🎼 Workage 35
Premiere of Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’
- 1902❤️ Private lifeage 42
Marries Alma Schindler; Symphony No. 5 and its Adagietto
- 1903🌍 Meanwhile
First powered aeroplane flight (Wright brothers)
- 1908🎼 Workage 48
Das Lied von der Erde
- 1910🎼 Workage 50
Triumph of the Symphony No. 8 ‘of a Thousand’ in Munich
- 1911🕯️ Deathage 51
Dies in Vienna on 18 May
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
How does this music feel to you?
How does this music feel to you?
Excerpts of up to 90 seconds, freely licensed recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
Once upon a time…
Gustav Mahler was born in Bohemia, today’s Czech Republic. As a boy he listened to soldiers’ bands, folk songs and bells: he put all those sounds into his music!
He became a very famous and very strict conductor. He ran the Vienna Opera and then went to New York. He composed mainly in summer, in a little hut by a lake where nobody was allowed to disturb him.
His symphonies are gigantic. In the first one he turns the nursery round “Frère Jacques” into a slow, mysterious march. For the eighth, more than a thousand musicians and singers were needed on stage!
He said: “My time will come.” Today his music is played all over the world.
Gustav Mahler’s instruments
Tap an instrument to hear it!
Cards to flip
Are you an expert on Gustav Mahler?
Answer the questions and win stars!
Same era · Late Romantic
1857 – 1934Late RomanticEdward Elgar
Edward Elgar was born in England.
1864 – 1949Late RomanticRichard Strauss
Richard Strauss was born in Munich, Germany.
1865 – 1957Late RomanticJean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was born in Finland, a country of forests and thousands of lakes.
1867 – 1944Late RomanticAmy Beach
Amy Beach was born in the United States.
1872 – 1958Late RomanticRalph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in an English village.
1873 – 1943Late RomanticSergueï Rachmaninov
Sergei Rachmaninoff was born in Russia.