Steven Martin ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Come to think who better to write a Requiem then Mahler who seemed to
>think about Death constantly anyway and used choirs in two of his
>Symphonies.  Didn't he convert to to Catholicism?

Sounds as if you're not very familiar with his music.  "seemed to think
about Death constantly"? Sounds like one of the canards that used to be
put around 40 year ago.  Do you think he was neurotic too?

Yes he did concert to Catholicism, but it almost certainly wasn't out
of conviction (I believe he once said that he would never write a Mass
because he could not set the Credo), rather because he couldn't be
appointed Director of the Vienna Hofoper as a Jew.

BTW he used choirs in 3 symphonies: 2, 3 and 8.

Deryk Barker
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