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Why Mahler? How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World
Paperback
Published November 1, 2011
About the author
Norman Lebrecht
49 books49 followersNorman Lebrecht (born 11 July 1948 in London) is a British commentator on music and cultural affairs and a novelist. He was a columnist for The Daily Telegraph from 1994 until 2002 and assistant editor of the Evening Standard from 2002 until 2009. On BBC Radio 3, he has presented lebrecht.live from 2000 and The Lebrecht Interview from 2006.
He has written twelve books about music, which have been translated into 17 languages. Coming up in 2010 is Why Mahler?, a new interpretation of the most influential composer of modern times. See Books for more details. Also coming back in print is Mahler Remembered (Faber, 1987).
Norman Lebrecht's first novel The Song of Names won a Whitbread Award in 2003. His second, The Game of Opposites, was published in the US by Pantheon Books. A third is in preparation.
A collection of Lebrecht columns will be published this year in China, the first such anthology by any western cultural writer. A Lebrecht conversation appears monthly in The Strad, magazine of the strings professions.
The Lebrecht Interview will return in July 2010 on BBC Radio 3 and there will be further editions of The Record Doctor in New York on WNYC.
A year-long series of events, titled Why Mahler?, will open on London's South Bank in September 2010, curated by Norman Lebrecht.
Other works in progress include a stage play and various radio and television documentaries.
He has written twelve books about music, which have been translated into 17 languages. Coming up in 2010 is Why Mahler?, a new interpretation of the most influential composer of modern times. See Books for more details. Also coming back in print is Mahler Remembered (Faber, 1987).
Norman Lebrecht's first novel The Song of Names won a Whitbread Award in 2003. His second, The Game of Opposites, was published in the US by Pantheon Books. A third is in preparation.
A collection of Lebrecht columns will be published this year in China, the first such anthology by any western cultural writer. A Lebrecht conversation appears monthly in The Strad, magazine of the strings professions.
The Lebrecht Interview will return in July 2010 on BBC Radio 3 and there will be further editions of The Record Doctor in New York on WNYC.
A year-long series of events, titled Why Mahler?, will open on London's South Bank in September 2010, curated by Norman Lebrecht.
Other works in progress include a stage play and various radio and television documentaries.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 14, 2026
Allow me to break this into two sections: Mahler’s life, and the author/writing itself.
Mahler: 5/5
I will always be a Mahler fan girl. Forever and ever and beyond. The first time I listened to him I truly thought he was a prophet, because how could one man compose such grandiose music that truly feels like it’s coming from the highest of heavens. There is lots to be said about his life. I have always found great interest in his psychology and how Freud’s personal insights on Mahler’s life not only affected his future compositions (after making deep realizations of *pardon my layman’s words* his mommy issues), but also Freud’s confirmation bias about his own theories.
Mahler was not afraid of death. He was, in the sense that all humans are, but ultimately wrestled with his fate time and time again. Death was, unfortunately, a frequent guest in Mahler’s life. Come his 9th symphony and the curse that comes with it, he was playing with his fate. His comfort (for lack of better words) with death allowed him to compose in the way that he did. I like to describe it as eternal. It takes me out of my own body like I’m seeing the universe from a grand perspective where everything is harmonious. Idk lol
The writing: 1/5
Norman Lebrecht. A controversial name in the classical music scene. All that aside, his writing in this book bothered me. He loved inserting himself into moments that didn’t need a Norman. Like ok I’m happy you visited Mahler’s spots, please just tell me about Mahler’s life from an unbiased standpoint. Speaking of unbiased, Lebrecht’s commentary on Alma Mahler was a pure monstrosity. Between calling her a liar and framing her as a non victim, I genuinely got mad during some of these pages. Take a woman, a creative composer at that, give her a difficult upbringing with her father, give her postpartum depression, and say she “burdened Gustav and her daughter with her problems.” Absolutely not. And mentioning the arguments that Alma was a victim and calling it just a “feminist theory” is willy wonkers.
All I’m saying is I’m glad I bought the book second hand.
Overall I’m glad I read this book. It was an easy and straightforward read. I love Mahler.
Mahler: 5/5
I will always be a Mahler fan girl. Forever and ever and beyond. The first time I listened to him I truly thought he was a prophet, because how could one man compose such grandiose music that truly feels like it’s coming from the highest of heavens. There is lots to be said about his life. I have always found great interest in his psychology and how Freud’s personal insights on Mahler’s life not only affected his future compositions (after making deep realizations of *pardon my layman’s words* his mommy issues), but also Freud’s confirmation bias about his own theories.
Mahler was not afraid of death. He was, in the sense that all humans are, but ultimately wrestled with his fate time and time again. Death was, unfortunately, a frequent guest in Mahler’s life. Come his 9th symphony and the curse that comes with it, he was playing with his fate. His comfort (for lack of better words) with death allowed him to compose in the way that he did. I like to describe it as eternal. It takes me out of my own body like I’m seeing the universe from a grand perspective where everything is harmonious. Idk lol
The writing: 1/5
Norman Lebrecht. A controversial name in the classical music scene. All that aside, his writing in this book bothered me. He loved inserting himself into moments that didn’t need a Norman. Like ok I’m happy you visited Mahler’s spots, please just tell me about Mahler’s life from an unbiased standpoint. Speaking of unbiased, Lebrecht’s commentary on Alma Mahler was a pure monstrosity. Between calling her a liar and framing her as a non victim, I genuinely got mad during some of these pages. Take a woman, a creative composer at that, give her a difficult upbringing with her father, give her postpartum depression, and say she “burdened Gustav and her daughter with her problems.” Absolutely not. And mentioning the arguments that Alma was a victim and calling it just a “feminist theory” is willy wonkers.
All I’m saying is I’m glad I bought the book second hand.
Overall I’m glad I read this book. It was an easy and straightforward read. I love Mahler.
June 22, 2026
Readable and entertaining - even if I think Lebrecht is unfair on Alma Mahler - little old-school misogyny there!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews