Duke Ellington vs Gustav Mahler
Two music prodigies, compared on what is actually documented: field, era, country and record. No invented numbers.
The record, side by side
| Duke Ellington | Gustav Mahler | |
| Field | Music | Music |
| Sub-field | Composer | Composer |
| Born | 1899 | 1860 |
| Died | 1974 | 1911 |
| Country of birth | United States | Austria |
| Star sign | Taurus | Cancer |
Who they are
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C., into a middle-class family that prized dignity and elegance. His mother, Daisy Kennedy Ellington, was a pianist who gave him his first music lessons. His stylish bearing in youth earned him the nickname "Duke" from a friend who felt the young Edward carried himself with the air of aristocracy — a name that would prove prophetic. He began serious piano study at age seven, fell away from it during adolescence, then returned with furious dedication in his teens, playing in local Washington venues…
Full biography of Duke Ellington →
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler described the symphony as a world that must contain everything. He was not speaking metaphorically. His nine completed symphonies range in duration from forty-five minutes to nearly two hours, deploy orchestras of up to one hundred and forty players, incorporate vocal soloists, choirs, offstage bands, and in the case of the Eighth Symphony — known as the Symphony of a Thousand — require a performing force so large that the piece can barely be staged. This was not grandiosity for its own sake. It was Mahler's attempt to make music coextensive with human…
Full biography of Gustav Mahler →
What they share
- Both are held here under Music.
- Same sub-field: Composer.
- Their lifetimes overlap.
Where they part
- Born in different countries: United States and Austria.
- 39 years separate their births (1899 and 1860).
Questions people ask
- Who came first, Duke Ellington or Gustav Mahler?
- Gustav Mahler. Duke Ellington was born in 1899, Gustav Mahler in 1860.
- What field is each of them in?
- Duke Ellington is filed under Music (Composer). Gustav Mahler is filed under Music (Composer).
- Were they contemporaries?
- Yes - their lifetimes overlap.