# Spiritual directions in Mahler's works



## Albert7

Looking for good lay-person and scholarly books and articles regarding Mahler's spiritual background and directions in his music.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/22/arts/l-mahler-and-religion-forced-to-be-christian-136425.html

I am still trying to ascertain the Christian and Jewish elements within his music but unfortunately I don't have a good grasp honestly .

Hoping to get some pointers here.


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## regenmusic

Albert7 said:


> Looking for good lay-person and scholarly books and articles regarding Mahler's spiritual background and directions in his music.
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/22/arts/l-mahler-and-religion-forced-to-be-christian-136425.html
> 
> I am still trying to ascertain the Christian and Jewish elements within his music but unfortunately I don't have a good grasp honestly .
> 
> Hoping to get some pointers here.


I would look at some period newspapers and journals, or perhaps some books
that have been long out of print. I don't trust modern authors to get the topic
of religion in previous generations right. There is too much revisionism. You
can catch it very often if you just know your subject matter.


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## Albert7

Ah okay... I will do that. Revisionism, I am not sure what you mean by that.

Even though I'm a postmodernist in general I do want to see what period pieces have to say about the matter.


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## Wunderhorn

Perhaps the you should read Mahler's letters. It is as close to the source as it can get. My impression is that Mahler cared little about religion but more about spirituality. He was of Jewish heritage and it has influenced his music but without trying to make a point. Only logical because of the music that was played in an around his parent's tavern.
He was pretty much fed up with organized religion and its influence on critics judging his work and his position as musical director.
When he got the position in Vienna he converted to Catholicism to get the job (In his adult life he did not attend church). He also creatively dated the event back five years to make it look more plausible. His struggle with this was that he complained that can't just be himself and therefore felt somewhat without a real home because everyone expected him to conform to something and be a certain way. His spirituality was more of a personal nature. That's my impression from what I read, anyway, opinions may vary.


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## Heliogabo

https://peterbannister.wordpress.co...gy-doesnt-know-what-to-do-with-gustav-mahler/

I think there are some clues here


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## Triplets

I think he was more interested in Philosophy, particularly Nietzsche, who is about as anti Organized Religion as one can be, and
Some Chinese Poetry. Try Henry LaGrange biography.


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