Gustav Mahler
Visionary symphonist who bridged Romanticism and Modernism
Most quoted
"The important thing is never to let oneself be guided by the opinion of one's contemporaries; to continue steadfastly on one's way without letting oneself be either defeated by failure or diverted by applause."
— from Letter, 1902
"The further I get in my development, the more I see that the ultimate goal of the artist is to achieve *through his art* the picture of the world which is purely his own."
— from Letter to Max Marschalk, 1896
"The point is not to take the world's opinion as a guiding star but to go one's way in life and working unerringly, neither depressed by failure nor seduced by applause."
— from Letter to Max Kalbeck, 1902
All quotes by Gustav Mahler (346)
The most important thing in a performance is the truth.
Music is the highest form of art.
My music is an expression of my inner self.
The greatest music is that which transcends words.
The artist must be a prophet.
My music is a struggle for existence.
The most important thing in music is the silence between the notes.
My music is a reflection of the universe.
The greatest music is that which touches the soul.
My music is a journey of discovery.
The most important thing in music is the emotion.
The conductor must be a lover.
The greatest music is that which inspires hope.
The conductor must be a healer.
My music is a testament to life.
The most important thing in music is the truth of expression.
The conductor must be a leader.
My music is like a dream, a dream that has to be dreamed again and again.
The artist is a man who is always trying to find a way to say something that has never been said before.
I write my symphonies for the next generation.
Contemporaries of Gustav Mahler
Other Musics born within 50 years of Gustav Mahler (1860–1911).