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Mahler finds his one true love but, for Alma Mahler, marriage also brings sacrifice. On their first proper holiday together, Alma is left to keep house while Gustav retreats to his composing hut for one.

Gustav Mahler: brilliant, fiery and tyrannical – leader of some the most prestigious musical institutions of his era – fought battles his whole life. He clashed with his colleagues, scrapped with critics and wrestled endlessly with his own desires and ambitions. This week, Kate Molleson navigates us through his many personal and professional struggles, and follows Mahler to the countryside hideaways where he sought (not always successfully) to escape the drama of his everyday life. Here, among the lakes and mountains, Mahler also found space to compose and he poured the whole world into his music in all its ugliness, mundanity and transcendent beauty.

Symphony No. 4: I. Bedächtig. Nicht eilen - Recht gemächlich (extract)
Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez

Symphony No. 4: IV. Sehr behaglich
Juliane Banse, soprano
Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez

Symphony No. 5: II. Sturmisch bewegt, mit grosster Vehemenz
German Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rudolph Barshai

Symphony No. 5: IV. Adagietto
German Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rudolph Barshai

Symphony No. 6 in A minor 'Tragic': II. Scherzo (Wuchtig)
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein