[b. 1860; d. 1911]
Austria–Bohemia:
Major modern (born-Jewish)composer of nine symphonies. His eighth, “Symphony of a Thousand,” requires one thousand performers. Mahler was ‘compelled’ to convert to Christianity as a prerequisite to accepting the post of director of the Vienna Court Opera. His most important song cycles are Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (1884) and Kindertotenlieder (1900-02). During the last 4 years of his life he conducted the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic.
– Eli Birnbaum