Originally posted by Richard Tarleton
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Alma's book was originally published as Gustav Mahler: Erinnerungen und Briefe by Allert de Lange in Amsterdam in 1940. The first English edition appeared in 1946 and since then there have been four English editions each one enlarged and revised in 1968, 1969 (U.S.), 1973 and 1990. This last is the edition I have, edited by Donald Mitchell and Knud Martner, Sphere Books Ltd, ISBN 0 7474 03171.
Alma's reputation as a truthful witness to Mahler's life has been steadily demolished over the years with many glaring errors, convenient omissions and downright lies and it has become increasingly difficult to rely on her testimony at all. Henry-Louis de la Grange has done much in his huge biography in exposing Alma's numerous deceptions, letter deletions and the like. To be sure, Mahler must have been a difficult man to live with but Alma comes across as something a good deal worse and she has done Mahler scholars and enthusiasts few favours.
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