Gustav Mahler

Gustav Mahler (1860–1911), an Austrian composer and conductor, one of the greatest composers of the end of 19^th century. During a concert in 1949 Nordheim heard Mahler’s Symphony no.2 “Resurrection”, ending with a fifth part with a powerful choir, soprano and alto – composed to the lyrics of an ode by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock of the same name, heard by the composer during the funeral of a conductor Hans Bülow in 1894. Mahler wrote also his own text to the Symphony, discussing the life after death. The symphony, according to Nordheim, caused him to choose composing as his walk of life.