Author: Stephen Johnson
Rating:

The author explores Mahler’s final years, from the monumental success of his Eighth Symphony, the work that cemented his legacy as one of the greatest composers, to the haunting, unfinished Tenth. The author places Mahler’s late masterpieces, including Das Lied von der Erde, within a lineage of art and philosophy reaching back to Plato and Wagner. By framing Mahler’s internal identity struggle and his ideal of German-ness as the driving force of his creations, the author paints a vivid portrait of a composer caught at the turning point of European history, making this an engaging and compelling read for understanding Mahler’s intricate world.