A 700+ page biography may seem scary, but Fischer's book on Mahler contains such interesting information that he discusses in a thoughtful manner thatA 700+ page biography may seem scary, but Fischer's book on Mahler contains such interesting information that he discusses in a thoughtful manner that you will want to keep reading. Fischer and his translator combine to create a book that is highly readable by those who have at least some basic knowledge of Mahler and his symphonies. In addition to giving a chronological account of Mahler's life, Fischer has thematic chapters, such as one on Mahler's relationship to Judaism and another on his religious/spiritual beliefs; social history chapters, on such topics as mid-century Vienna, turn-of-the-century Vienna and its artistic movements, and anti-Semitism; portraits of composers and conductors who interacted with and supported Mahler's symphonies, including Bruno Walter, Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Willem Mengelberg, Richard Strauss (as well as intellectuals such as Theodore Adorno); Mahler's intellectual interests in Goethe, Wagner, Dostoevsky; etc. Since Mahler was known for his conducting (perhaps the second-best conductor of his era) much more than for his composing (his symphonies were usually not well received), much of the middle of the book talks about his rapid progression from smaller opera houses to his coveted positions as Musical Director of the Vienna State Opera and then as Principal Conductor for the Metropolitan Opera in New York. But about equal weight is given to the summers, which was when he did his composing, and to discussions and interpretations of each of his symphonies. Finally, while I can't judge the accuracy of the translation from German, I can say that the text reads very well; you wouldn't know it was a translation. So, if you have a strong interest in Mahler's music and want to know more about the man who created it, you'll want to read this book. And keep your Mahler recordings with you, as you'll want to listen to them in order as you progress through the book. Some of the historical recordings that Fischer mentions can be found in excellent remasterings on the Pristine Classical site....more
If you're a fan of Shostakovich's music and you know something about his history with Stalin, you'll want to read this book. Fascinating narrative voiIf you're a fan of Shostakovich's music and you know something about his history with Stalin, you'll want to read this book. Fascinating narrative voice: Shostakovich's thoughts but narrated in third person. ...more
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