Gustav Mahler

The first scientifically grounded, interdisciplinary biography of Mahler, written by music sociologist Kurt Blaukopf, represented a revolution in the music world upon its initial publication in 1969 and paved the way for the rediscovery of one of the most significant composers, conductors, and theater directors of the 20th century. This standard work of Mahler research, translated into numerous languages, was available in the German-speaking world only through antiquarian sources for many years and is now available again in its original text version. The pioneering achievement of the renowned music sociologist Blaukopf lies particularly in understanding Gustav Mahler in the context of his time and revealing him as a trailblazer for future developments: Mahler was the first conductor of the modern type, the first great opera director, and the composer who led symphonic music from late Romanticism into modernity. Furthermore, Kurt Blaukopf posits that the rise in Mahler's reception is significantly linked to new recording techniques. This book allows us to see the man and artist, the creator and interpreter, the fighter and pioneer, the lover and struggler, the reformer of the scene and the completer of the symphony anew and recognize him as a contemporary of our present.