Gustav Mahler: The Jewish Composer Who Changed Music
Hosted By: My Jewish Learning
4 online sessions from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Oct. 22 – Nov. 12
All classes will be recorded and sent to registrants.
Learn how the composer’s complex Jewish story impacted his work — and the world of music forever.
The monumental works of Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) have captivated and challenged musicians and audiences for more than a century. Born into a Jewish family, Mahler drew deeply on classical tradition while expanding the possibilities of what the symphony could do in unprecedented ways.
In this course with leading scholar Matthew Mugmon, we’ll explore the circumstances in which Mahler’s symphonies and songs were composed, their inner musical workings and broader meanings, and their complex legacy.
Along the way, we’ll consider the many forces that shaped Mahler’s creative persona — which include his Jewish background, his encounters with antisemitism, his literary and artistic inspirations, and his relationships with predecessors and contemporaries. We’ll also examine Mahler’s far-reaching influence on the sounds of the 20th and 21-first centuries.
Prof. Mugmon’s class sessions will include snippets of music and primary sources that you won’t find elsewhere.
