Alma Maria Mahler (August 31, 1879 – December 11, 1964), composer and painter, was noted in her native Vienna for her beauty and intelligence. She was the wife, successively, of one of the century's leading composers (Gustav Mahler), architects (Walter Gropius), and novelists (Franz Werfel).

Biography

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Born in Vienna, Austria, to artist Emil Jakob Schindler and his wife Anna von Bergen, Alma grew up in a privileged environment. Her father's friends included Gustav Klimt, to whom she gave her "first kiss". After Schindler's death (1892), Anna married her late husband's former pupil Carl Moll. As a young woman Alma had a series of flirtations, including Klimt, director Max Burckhard and composer Alexander von Zemlinsky. On March 9, 1902 she married Gustav Mahler, who was twenty years her senior. With him, she had two daughters, Maria Anna (1902-1907), who died of scarlet fever or diphtheria, and Anna (1904-1988) who later became a sculptor. The terms of Alma's marriage with Mahler were that she would forgo her own artistic interests in painting and music. Resenting this, Alma began an affair with the Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius. Late in their marriage Mahler took an interest in Alma's compositions, but it was too late. Mahler had a single consultation with Dr. Sigmund Freud as to the causes for his dissatisfied relationship.

When Mahler died in 1911, Alma married Gropius. The marriage was tumultuous. For two years, Alma had an affair with artist Oskar Kokoschka, who painted his Bride of the Wind to represent their love. Fearful of the passion he evoked in her, Alma left Kokoschka for novelist Franz Werfel, and even became pregnant - she thought by him - while still married to Gropius. After being left Oskar Kokoschka ordered a custom life-size doll resembling Alma in details. Rumors say that he was seen at a local theater in Vienna holding the doll as his companion. She divorced Gropius and married Werfel in 1929, but the child, Martin Carl Johannes, was born prematurely and died aged ten months. Alma and Gropius's daughter, Manon (1916-1935), died of polio in 1935, aged eighteen. Composer Alban Berg wrote his Violin Concerto in memory of her.

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Born today: Alma Schindler, a woman who was muse or wife 2 many of the great artists (Mahler, Gropius, Werfel, Kokoschka, Klimt) of her time
Geniusbastard (Brandon David Wilson) Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:01:36 -0000
Born today: Alma Schindler, a woman who was muse or wife 2 many of the great artists (Mahler, Gropius, Werfel, Kokoschka, Klimt) of her time
Austrian composer Alma Mahler, née Schindler, born today in 1879. We have a small number of her surviving pieces: http://tinyurl.com/lod4tw
uarkpam (Perf. Arts & Media) Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:04:35 -0000
Austrian composer Alma Mahler, née Schindler, born today in 1879. We have a small number of her surviving pieces: http://tinyurl.com/lod4tw

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