Comments on: Mahler was underpaid?

By: SPORTS PICKS

SPORTS PICKS — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:17:57 +0000

I had no idea the kind of money these guys made, interesting to say the least. What would be some good classical music to start my 3 year old son off listening too? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
James
The Sports Picks Guy

By: Kenneth Woods

Kenneth Woods — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:57:18 +0000

Hi JH

Welcome to the site- if you like Mahler and Strauss, you’ll find a lot to read here! Thanks for the comment.

By: J.H. Thompson

J.H. Thompson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:10:41 +0000

After years of listening to classical music I discovered that my favourite period is the late 19th century with composers like Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner and Vaughan Williams.

By: Kenneth Woods- a view from the podium » UPDATE! Mahler was definitely underpaid.

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:16:27 +0000

[...] September 18, 2006 at 10:16 am · Filed under Uncategorized This just in, as a follow up to my post and that of Alex Ross on Mahler’s salary as conductor of the New York Philharmonic— “In reply …, the salary proposed to Mahler by the Guarantors’ Committee of the New York Philharmonic in February-March 1911 for 80 to 90 concerts was $30.000, not $90.000. I do not have the time just now to search through the English volume of Mahler’s letters to Alma, but I was one of the original editors of the German volume and I worked together with Antony Beaumont throughout the whole time of the revision. Thus, I do not believe that such a shocking error could have crept in. If I am wrong I would be grateful to know the reference so as to inform Antony Beaumont and the American publisher that the figure is erroneous and must be corrected as soon as possible.” Henry-Louis de La Grange * Interesting then that Mahler’s salary in modern numbers would be about $600,000 for 90 concerts, or a meager $6,600/ concert- about a 10th of what top earning conductors might charge today. Alex Ross was not mistaken in his original post; according to the English version of “Gustav Mahler: Letters to His Wife”, on p. 391 is the following quotation: “On 8 March he wrote to the Committee accepting their proposal of 90 concerts for a fee of $90,000” What amazing times we live in, when a scholar like Professor de La Grange can uncover a mistake like this through the power of a couple of blogs and an email list. Thanks to Deborah Hess and Peter Sheldorn of Mahlerlist for helping get to the bottom of this as well. * For those of you who are not Mahler nuts, Prof. de La Grange is the leading biographer of Gustav Mahler- the author of a multi-volume biography. [...]

By: Kenneth Woods

Kenneth Woods — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 22:06:21 +0000

Hi Erik

Thanks for the comment.

Owner’s income…..

I like it

Maybe orchestras will become the new football teams- status symbols of the ultra rich. Just think, Snyder can buy the National Symphony, then threaten to take them to San Antonio unless the city builds them a new hall with luxury boxes. He goes out and poaches players from all over the world and brings Bernstein out of retirement to lead the NSO to the world orchestra championship.

Actually, in all seriousness, I’m sure orchestras would get more financial backing from national, state and local government if they were owned by billionaires than they do now, run as non profits for the good of society.

By: Erik K

Erik K — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 18:32:48 +0000

Very interesting article. As a wannabe conductor and enormous football fan I must say though that football generates infinitely more revenue than classical music, so the money there is on par with the owner’s income, or at least close to it. As for the Redskins…oh Daniel Snyder, will you ever buy a title?

Thanks again for a look into this.