Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The wisdom of Gustav Mahler


"Tradition is tending the flame, it's not worshipping the ashes."

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

I think it's not well known that this late-Romantic Austrian composer worked primarily in his life as a conductor, and only later did his music become as popular as it is today. Shostakovich and Benjamin Britten acknowledged influence from Mahler's musical legacy.

Mahler's forward-looking comment about tradition appeals to me…..I tend to think of myself more as a traditionalist than as an early adopter, but I take Mahler's point: the great benefits of tradition are not the reward for looking backward, they are the energy and revelation we can adapt as we work at living a good life…

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3 comments:

  1. Andrew C RossAugust 13, 2013 at 7:06 AM

    Very relevant to the Christian CHurch

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  2. Matthew Koumis May 18, 2016 at 7:59 PM

    I was just checking this excellent quotation. I just wanted to share that I think it means 'passing on the flame, or handing over the flame'. The normal translation seems to be incorrect.Tradition ist nicht die Anbetung der Asche, sondern die Weitergabe des Feuers

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    Replies
    1. Rick SubberMay 19, 2016 at 6:55 AM

      Thanks, Matthew, for this update, much appreciated.
      Rick

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