Great Masters: Mahler—His Life and Music by Robert Greenberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A real treat to learn more about Mahler. It always shocked me to know how much of an utter perfectionist and bastard he was in real life, but how all that lead to a perfect storm of musical genius--whether as a brilliant conductor OR as a composer.

Growing up abused, an outcast in social life (rampant, vocal anti-semitism), and most likely a VERY neurodivergent individual, all these things flavor his life and while they don't excuse how he treated others later, it sure made it interesting.

His music, on the other hand, was bar none amazing. Personal, breathtaking, enormous, painful, and always on the cusp of major transitions, it's a perfect example of an artist straight-out ushering in the 20th century. Predating the first or second world wars but just a few years, he may as well have been their HERALD.

Songs of Earth and Power.

On a personal note, I only got into Mahler (at least as my first entry point) through his unfinished 10th symphony. And what a massive trip THAT was. Screaming angels, sweetly singing devils. Pain. Grief. Transcendence.

Mahler is one of the greats and my personal favorite composer of all time. His music is utterly emotional and transformative.


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