Born: 7 July 1860 · Died: 18 May 1911 · Age at death: 50
How old was Gustav Mahler when he died?
Gustav Mahler died aged 50. He was born on 7 July 1860 and died on 18 May 1911.
Austrian composer and conductor of ten vast symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde, who led the Vienna Court Opera
Did you know?He was highly superstitious about the "curse of the ninth" and feared he would die after completing his ninth symphony.
Quick facts
Date of birth7 July 1860
Date of death18 May 1911
Age at death50
Cause of deathEndocarditis, sepsis
NationalityAustrian
BirthplaceKaliště, Czech Republic
Occupationconductor, composer, classical composer
Editor's Take:
Gustav Mahler wrote symphonies that try to contain the whole world. In his lifetime he was more famous as a conductor, running the Vienna Court Opera for a decade. He composed mainly in the summers. His symphonies are vast, mixing folk tunes, marches and deep emotion. He said a symphony should be like the world and embrace everything. Personal tragedy, including the death of his young daughter, shaped his later music. Long neglected after his death, he is now one of the most performed composers.
Key Milestones
1888: First Symphony – completed
1897: Vienna Court Opera – director
1902: Fifth Symphony – famous Adagietto
1908: New York – Metropolitan Opera
Gustav Mahler (German:; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century tradition and the modernism of the early 20th century.
