History Music / GustavMahler

->''"[[NeverAcceptedInHisHometown I am thrice homeless]], as a native of Bohemia in Austria, as an Austrian among Germans, and [[WanderingJew as a Jew throughout the world]]. [[TheWoobie Everywhere an intruder, never welcomed.]]"''

* ThePowerOfLove: Strong believer of this, and considered God and Love to be one and the same. With the exception of the 6th, ''Das Lied von der Erde'', and the 9th symphony, his symphonies end in either a massive blaze of glory (Nos.1, 2, 5, 7, 8) or complete serenity (Nos.3, 4) in the finale, representing the victory of love over suffering.

[[AuthorExistenceFailure Mahler died before he could complete his Tenth Symphony]]. Interestingly, he had feared exactly this: he believed in the "Curse of the Ninth", which states that a composer has to die after completing his/her ninth symphony, as had happened to Music/LudwigVanBeethoven, Music/FranzSchubert[[labelnote:*]] sort of; in Mahler's lifetime, Schubert was only seen as having written eight symphonies, as the symphony now known as No.7 only exists in sketch form[[/labelnote]], Anton Bruckner[[labelnote:*]] if one ignores two early symphonies, now known as No.00 and No.0[[/labelnote]], and Music/AntoninDvorak[[labelnote:*]] except that the symphonies now known as Nos.1-4 were not published until after Mahler (and, more importantly, Dvorak himself) had died[[/labelnote]], and as later happened to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Mahler tried to subvert the Curse by not numbering ''Das Lied von der Erde'' (''The Song of the Earth''). [[SelfFulfillingProphecy This would have been his ninth symphony]][[labelnote:*]] although the use of the term "symphony" to refer to the work is somewhat contentious[[/labelnote]], making the Ninth his actual 10th. It seems the Curse of the Ninth only goes after numbered symphonies...

* BreakTheBadass: The whole point of the forth movement of the ''Tragic'' is to send the [[WorldOfHam ridiculously large orchestra]] through a series of twists of fate represented by hammer strokes until it gives up after [[RuleOfThree the third one]].

* DeadpanSnarker
-->'''Critic''': I trust you weren't offended by my negative critique of your recent symphony.
-->'''Mahler''': You just don't understand my music.
-->'''Critic''': You weren't of the same opinion when I praised your previous work.
-->'''Mahler''': You are quite mistaken. [[TakeThatCritics You didn't understand me when you praised me, either.]]

He mostly restricted his output to symphonies and song cycles. Mahler once remarked that "the symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything." No wonder then that his symphonies work on a larger scale than anything previously conceived: some of them have elaborate philosophical programs, like his Symphony no. 3 which, like [[Music/AlsoSprachZarathustra Richard Strauss' tone poem]], is based on [[Creator/FriedrichNietzsche Nietzsche]]'s ''Literature/AlsoSprachZarathustra''. Mahler continually specified larger orchestras and more esoteric instruments; the culmination of this is his Symphony No. 8, which requires a ridiculously large number of musicians: double orchestra, an organist, eight vocal soloists and three choirs. Not surprisingly, then, it is often called the "Symphony of a Thousand".

He seems to have been fond of complaining that [[{{True Art is Angsty}} people did not understand his angst]], and his works [[{{True Art is Incomprehensible}} can sometimes be a little obtuse]].

Nonetheless, they are still considered powerful and emotionally affecting pieces of music. Many of his works, such as his Second and Fifth Symphonies, start out with a despairing and anguished tone that darkens even further throughout the work, only to [[{{Earn Your Happy Ending}} work their way]] to a [[{{Crowning Music of Awesome}} profoundly triumphant and joyous ending]].

[[{{Author Existence Failure}} Mahler died before he could complete his Tenth Symphony]]. Interestingly, he had feared exactly this: he believed in the "Curse of the Ninth", which states that a composer has to die after completing his/her ninth symphony, as had happened to Music/LudwigVanBeethoven, Music/FranzSchubert[[labelnote:*]] sort of; in Mahler's lifetime, Schubert was only seen as having written eight symphonies, as the symphony now known as No.7 only exists in sketch form[[/labelnote]], Anton Bruckner[[labelnote:*]] if one ignores two early symphonies, now known as No.00 and No.0[[/labelnote]], and Music/AntoninDvorak[[labelnote:*]] except that the symphonies now known as Nos.1-4 were not published until after Mahler (and, more importantly, Dvorak himself) had died[[/labelnote]], and as later happened to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Mahler tried to subvert the Curse by not numbering ''Das Lied von der Erde'' (''The Song of the Earth''). [[SelfFulfillingProphecy This would have been his ninth symphony]][[labelnote:*]] although the use of the term "symphony" to refer to the work is somewhat contentious[[/labelnote]], making the Ninth his actual 10th. It seems the Curse of the Ninth only goes after numbered symphonies...

--> '''Critic''': ''I trust you weren't offended by my negative critique of your recent symphony.''
--> '''Mahler''': ''You just don't understand my music.''
--> '''Critic''': ''You weren't of the same opinion when I praised your previous work.''
--> '''Mahler''': ''You are quite mistaken. [[TakeThatCritics You didn't understand me when you praised me, either.]]''
** When challenged to a duel, he declined with the words: ''I do not believe in the healing powers of dueling.''
* DownerEnding: The 6th symphony, [[FanNickname so-called]] ''Tragic'', ends with a massive dissonant tutti burst just to be silenced by a lonely pianissimo, representing the loss of hope.

* EverythingIsAnInstrument: The infamous ''Mahlerhammer'' in the 6th symphony is a large wooden hammer, used as a percussive instrument.
** Also needs [[Creator/ChristopherWalken more cowbell]] in the finale.
* {{Expy}}: Gustav von Aschenbach of ''Literature/DeathInVenice'' is closely modeled after Mahler.
** Even more so in the FilmOfTheBook where Aschenbach is a conductor and composer instead of a writer. Movie-Aschenbach [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed is Mahler with a moustache]], really. Even Aschenbach's wife looks exactly like Alma. The soundtrack to said film also consists of Mahler.

* ThePowerOfLove: Strong believer of this, and considered God and Love to be one and the same. With the exception of the 6th, ''das Lied von der Erde'' and the 9th symphony, his symphonies [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome end in a massive blaze of glory]] in the finale, representing the victory of love over suffering.

* WorldOfHam: The 8th symphony with ''three'' choirs, multiple soloists, a church organ and a double orchestra.

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<<|{{Composers}}|>>

* TraumaCongaLine: The third hammer stroke in his 6th symphony, after which everything dies down... [[LastNoteNightmare until one last desperate tutti stroke ends it]].

* EverythingIsAnInstrument: The infamous ''Mahlerhammer'' in the 6th symphony is a large wooden hammer, used as a percussive instruments.

* LastNoteNightmare: The 6th ends with a massive dissonant tutti.

* ThePowerOfLove: Strong believer of this, and considered God and Love to be one and the same. With the exception of the 6th and the 9th symphony, his works [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome end in a massive blaze of glory]] in the finale, representing the victory of love over suffering.

* EverythingIsAnInstrumet: The infamous ''Mahlerhammer'' in the 6th symphony is a large wooden hammer, used as a percussive instruments.

* GermanicDepressives: His music is very dark, moody and brooding. One of his oldest works was "Das Klagende Lied" ("The Song of Lament") and "Kindertotenlieder" ("Songs on the Death of Children") is also not exactly the happiest of subjects. "Das Lied von der Erde" also deals with tragic themes. And, of course, his famous "6th Symphony" is referred to as "Tragische" ("Tragic")

* WorldOfHam: The 8th symphony with ''three'' choirs, multple soloists, a church organ and a double orchestra.

[[{{Author Existence Failure}} Mahler died before he could complete his Tenth Symphony]]. Interestingly, he had feared exactly this: he believed in the "Curse of the Ninth", which states that a composer has to die after completing his/her ninth symphony, as had happened to Creator/LudwigVanBeethoven, FranzSchubert[[labelnote:*]] sort of; in Mahler's lifetime, Schubert was only seen as having written eight symphonies, as the symphony now known as No.7 only exists in sketch form[[/labelnote]], Anton Bruckner[[labelnote:*]] if one ignores two early symphonies, now known as No.00 and No.0[[/labelnote]], and Creator/AntoninDvorak[[labelnote:*]] except that the symphonies now known as Nos.1-4 were not published until after Mahler (and, more importantly, Dvorak himself) had died[[/labelnote]], and as later happened to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Mahler tried to subvert the Curse by not numbering ''Das Lied von der Erde'' (''The Song of the Earth''). [[SelfFulfillingProphecy This would have been his ninth symphony]][[labelnote:*]] although the use of the term "symphony" to refer to the work is somewhat contentious[[/labelnote]], making the Ninth his actual 10th. It seems the Curse of the Ninth only goes after numbered symphonies...

->''"Wouldn't you just '''die''' without Mahler!?"

Musical composer and conductor (1860-1911), one of the last of the Romantic era.

He mostly restricted his output to symphonies and song cycles. Mahler once remarked that "the symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything." No wonder then that his symphonies work on a larger scale than anything previously conceived: some of them have elaborate philosophical programs, like his Symphony no. 3 which is based on "''Music/AlsoSprachZarathustra''". Mahler continually specified larger orchestras and more esoteric instruments; the culmination of this is his Symphony No. 8, which requires a ridiculously large number of musicians: double orchestra, an organist, eight vocal soloists and three choirs. Not surprisingly, then, it is often called the "Symphony of a Thousand".

[[{{Author Existence Failure}} Mahler died before he could complete his Tenth Symphony]]. Interestingly, he had feared exactly this: he believed in the "Curse of the Ninth", which states that a composer has to die after completing his/her ninth symphony, as had happened to Creator/LudwigVanBeethoven, FranzSchubert[[labelnote:*]] sort of; in Mahler's lifetime, Schubert was only seen as having written eight symphonies, as the symphony now known as No.7 only exists in sketch form[[/labelnote]], Anton Bruckner[[labelnote:*]] if one ignores two early symphonies, now known as No.00 and No.0[[/labelnote]], and Creator/AntoninDvorak[[labelnote:*]] except that the symphonies now known as Nos.1-4 were not published until after Mahler (and, more importantly, Dvorak himself) had died[[/labelnote]], and as later happened to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Turns out he was right... Interestingly enough, Mahler tried to subvert the Curse of the Ninth by not numbering ''Das Lied von der Erde'' (''The Songs of the Earth''). [[SelfFulfillingProphecy This would have been his ninth symphony]][[labelnote:*]] although the use of the term "symphony" to refer to the work is somewhat contentious[[/labelnote]], making the Ninth his actual 10th. It seems the Curse of the Ninth only goes after numbered symphonies...

Musical composer and conductor, one of the last of the Romantic era.

He mostly restricted his output to symphonies and song cycles. Mahler once remarked that "the symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything." No wonder then that his symphonies work on a larger scale than anything previously conceived: some of them have elaborate philosophical programs, like his Symphony no. 3 which is based on AlsoSprachZarathustra. Mahler continually specified larger orchestras and more esoteric instruments; the culmination of this is his Symphony No. 8, which requires a ridiculously large number of musicians: double orchestra, an organist, eight vocal soloists and three choirs. Not surprisingly, then, it is often called the "Symphony of a Thousand".

[[{{Author Existence Failure}} Mahler died before he could complete his Tenth Symphony]]. Interestingly, he had feared exactly this: he believed in the "Curse of the Ninth", which states that a composer has to die after completing his/her ninth symphony, as had happened to LudwigVanBeethoven, FranzSchubert[[labelnote:*]] sort of; in Mahler's lifetime, Schubert was only seen as having written eight symphonies, as the symphony now known as No.7 only exists in sketch form[[/labelnote]], AntonBruckner[[labelnote:*]] if one ignores two early symphonies, now known as No.00 and No.0[[/labelnote]], and Creator/AntoninDvorak[[labelnote:*]] except that the symphonies now known as Nos.1-4 were not published until after Mahler (and, more importantly, Dvorak himself) had died[[/labelnote]], and as later happened to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Turns out he was right... Interestingly enough, Mahler tried to subvert the Curse of the Ninth by not numbering ''Das Lied von der Erde'' (''The Songs of the Earth''). [[SelfFulfillingProphecy This would have been his ninth symphony]][[labelnote:*]] although the use of the term "symphony" to refer to the work is somewhat contentious[[/labelnote]], making the Ninth his actual 10th. It seems the Curse of the Ninth only goes after numbered symphonies...