What a difference a medium makes! I tried to listen to the audio version of this, and couldn’t get into it, which was a great surprise to me as I love Mary Sharratt’s novels.
What happened when I decided to read it on my iPad mini? I LOVED it.
ECSTASY is the story of Alma Schindler’s first marriage to Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), the celebrated composer. If you have read Alma’s Memories & Letters, much of this material will be familiar to you. However, in Mary Sharratt’s hands, the story comes alive.
Gustav and Alma married 9 March 1902, partly because Alma was already pregnant with their first child.
Much has been discussed about the problems that Alma (a rather spoiled 21-year-old) had with Gustav (a controlling man, 19 years her senior.) But I didn’t realize until I read ECSTASY that their problems erupted pretty much on the first day of their marriage, when instead of spending time on a delightful honeymoon with his new (and very young) wife, Gustav dragged Alma off to Crefeld, a no-nothing town in Germany’s industrial belt, to conduct one of his symphonies.
Thus Alma spent her twenties in a relationship that made her lonely (Gustav was often absent) and emotionally starved (he was too much of a workaholic to notice his wife). Most damaging of all, Gustav believed that having two composers living together was ridiculous. So who had to give up their dreams? You guessed it. The damage done by suppressing her identity as a talented composer in her own right and becoming Gustav’s handmaid by serving his career (she copied out many of his scores) haunted her for the rest of her life.
Only when she began an affair with Walther Gropius, did Gustav finally wake up, and realize what a treasure he had in his wife. Of course, they were only granted a year of happiness, before Gustav succumbed to heart disease, dying on 18 May 1911.
If you love reading about turn-of-the-century Vienna, Gustav Mahler, the members of the Secession Movement, or Alma, you are in for a treat. Five stars.
Author
denisebirt
3 years ago
At the turn of the twentieth-century, one woman will defy all odds and define The Arts as no one before her has. Alma, a nineteen year old, living in Vienna, with dreams of becoming a composer. Unheard of during this particular time period, especially for a woman, she turns herself inside out in order to make her mark on the world. The torment, the challenges, the euphoria, sadness and romance; all a part of her as she fights to hold onto her family, her loves, herself.
This historical fiction is a story of the bittersweet that will captivate as it immerses you in as to how this woman fights for her true existence and the life she wants, but more importantly, the life she needs.
Very well written and a true learning experience as to some of the most treasured symphony halls and revered classical music written in history. I found it intriguing to research the referenced composers themselves and the music also referenced within the book, all which can be found online. For me, it added yet another level to the experience as to the depth of these characters, most of which are historical to the classical music and art worlds.
The fascinating world of Alma Mahler will not disappoint.
(ARC)
Novels&Latte Book Club
Novels&Latte Book Blog
Author
librab
3 years ago
I really enjoyed the book and the insights into Alma’s life. I only gave it a 4 because I was disappointed that it didn’t deal with her entire life, I.e.her other 2 marriages but they were neatly summarized in the afterward. I liked the author’s approach to her subject, especially how she showed the misogyny at the time and how difficult for women’s creativity to be taken seriously.
By marysharratt
What a difference a medium makes! I tried to listen to the audio version of this, and couldn’t get into it, which was a great surprise to me as I love Mary Sharratt’s novels.
What happened when I decided to read it on my iPad mini? I LOVED it.
ECSTASY is the story of Alma Schindler’s first marriage to Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), the celebrated composer. If you have read Alma’s Memories & Letters, much of this material will be familiar to you. However, in Mary Sharratt’s hands, the story comes alive.
Gustav and Alma married 9 March 1902, partly because Alma was already pregnant with their first child.
Much has been discussed about the problems that Alma (a rather spoiled 21-year-old) had with Gustav (a controlling man, 19 years her senior.) But I didn’t realize until I read ECSTASY that their problems erupted pretty much on the first day of their marriage, when instead of spending time on a delightful honeymoon with his new (and very young) wife, Gustav dragged Alma off to Crefeld, a no-nothing town in Germany’s industrial belt, to conduct one of his symphonies.
Thus Alma spent her twenties in a relationship that made her lonely (Gustav was often absent) and emotionally starved (he was too much of a workaholic to notice his wife). Most damaging of all, Gustav believed that having two composers living together was ridiculous. So who had to give up their dreams? You guessed it. The damage done by suppressing her identity as a talented composer in her own right and becoming Gustav’s handmaid by serving his career (she copied out many of his scores) haunted her for the rest of her life.
Only when she began an affair with Walther Gropius, did Gustav finally wake up, and realize what a treasure he had in his wife. Of course, they were only granted a year of happiness, before Gustav succumbed to heart disease, dying on 18 May 1911.
If you love reading about turn-of-the-century Vienna, Gustav Mahler, the members of the Secession Movement, or Alma, you are in for a treat. Five stars.
At the turn of the twentieth-century, one woman will defy all odds and define The Arts as no one before her has. Alma, a nineteen year old, living in Vienna, with dreams of becoming a composer. Unheard of during this particular time period, especially for a woman, she turns herself inside out in order to make her mark on the world. The torment, the challenges, the euphoria, sadness and romance; all a part of her as she fights to hold onto her family, her loves, herself.
This historical fiction is a story of the bittersweet that will captivate as it immerses you in as to how this woman fights for her true existence and the life she wants, but more importantly, the life she needs.
Very well written and a true learning experience as to some of the most treasured symphony halls and revered classical music written in history. I found it intriguing to research the referenced composers themselves and the music also referenced within the book, all which can be found online. For me, it added yet another level to the experience as to the depth of these characters, most of which are historical to the classical music and art worlds.
The fascinating world of Alma Mahler will not disappoint.
(ARC)
Novels&Latte Book Club
Novels&Latte Book Blog
I really enjoyed the book and the insights into Alma’s life. I only gave it a 4 because I was disappointed that it didn’t deal with her entire life, I.e.her other 2 marriages but they were neatly summarized in the afterward. I liked the author’s approach to her subject, especially how she showed the misogyny at the time and how difficult for women’s creativity to be taken seriously.