On May 22, 1911, Gustav Mahler was laid to rest at Grinzing, next to his elder daughter.
Paul Stefan described the scene:
"Mahler had wished for a simple burial unaccompanied by word or music, and people were thus deprived of their 'spectacle.' In order to deter those who 'wanted to have been there,' and also because the small church and cemetery of Grinzing did not allow it, both were closed, and admission was allowed only to the holders of entrance-cards. And even then many who had them were obliged to wait outside the church. Thence the coffin was carried through streaming rain to the burial-place, and immediately upon arrival interred without further ceremony. The crowd, still many hundreds, was scarce able to speak. The rain had ceased, a wonderful rainbow became visible, and a nightingale's voice was heard through the silence. Then fell the last clods, and all was over." [Gustav Mahler: A Study of His Personality & Work (1912), p. 119.]
Indeed, as Klimt said, when Mahler departed from Vienna for New York, "Vorbei." Yet Mahler had believed otherwise. And Mahler was right.
Coincidentally, it was Wagner's birthday. I doubt that anyone noticed.
. & '
