Gustav Mahler
Gustav
Mahler was born in Kaliste in Bohemia. His father was a distillery
owner. At the time of Mahler's birth, Bohemia and this village were a part of
the Austro-Hungarian empire. The house in which he was born remained
as the village inn right up to 1990, when it became a museum and recital hall
dedicated to Mahler. Today it is in the Czech republic. Kaliste is between
Brno and Prague, the nearest town being Jihlava.
Mahler was a pupil of
Bruckner
in
Vienna, and he was also influenced by Wagner. He was a
world-renowned and much-travelled conductor.
His music links the 20th century with the
romantic traditions of the 19th century.
His style may be described as a late German romantic. He wrote 9 symphonies for
a very large orchestra, several of these involving the human voice as well.