Gustav Mahler was born in 1860 in the small town of...

Gustav Mahler was born in 1860 in the small town of Kalischt, Bohemia. He was a late romantic-era composer. He was one of the leading conductors of his generation. Mahler was a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism of the early 20th century. In 1897 he was the director of the Vienna Court Opera. He stayed in Vienna for 10 years, but during that time he got a lot of opposition from the Anti- Semitic Press. His awesome productions and high production standards gave him the name of Greatest of Opera Conductors. Composing was only his part time job as living as a conductor was his full time. Most of his pieces are for large orchestra forces, symphonic choruses, and operatic soloists. Mahler’s family†¦show more content†¦He left his school in 1878 with a diploma but no silver medal for outstanding achievement. Gustav went to the University of Vienna for a year studying litature and philosophy. He than went on to becomes a piano teacher, while still composing. His first composition while including other influences also had something else that some called â€Å"Pure Mahler.† His first performance was delayed till 1901 so they could make a shortened version of it. Gustav was interested in German Philosophy and got introduced to the works of Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Gustav Fechner and Hermann Lotze. These thinkers influenced Gustav’s music long after his student years. In 1881 Mahler did his first full-scale opera with a small but resourceful company. After his six-month engagement he returned to Vienna and worked as a part-time chorus-master. In 1883 Mahler started his first real job as a conductor but had a poor relationship with the orchestra but despite that he made 5 new operas there and won over the press that earlier had insulted his work. He then went on to the Royal Theater and after only a week was titled the theaters â€Å"musical and choral director.† Despite what the name makes you think the guy in charge of the music at the theater hated Mahler and make it his goal to make him miserable. He than got a six year contract with Leipzip Opera starting in 1886. Not willing to let the boss of music give him crap for another year in 1885 he started an