Composing hut
The composing hut during Mahler´s time
The composing house was probably built in 1907. Unfortunately, the name of the carpenter is no longer known.
In Gustav Mahler’s day, there was probably a piano (make unknown), a table, a chair and a small stove in the little house. Mahler had three pianos delivered every summer, an upright for the composing house and two more for the Trenker house, one of which was probably a grand piano.
From this hut, Mahler enjoyed the landscape of Toblach and surroundings.
Mahler described this place as follows:
"It's wonderful, and the seclusion and tranquility of this place allows me to curl up again in the usual way."
“...The weather is almost continuously cold, inclement and rainy. Nevertheless, there are often beautiful moments. I take my afternoon walk to Dobbiaco every day, rain or sunshine...”
The composing hut after Mahler´s time
It is a miracle that this little cabin survived after Mahler’s death, unnoticed in the forest and largely unused.
There are stories that the cabin was used by the Vinzentinum Institute Bozen as a summer camp for young boys. Locals say that they played tennis and football in the flat area below the hut and used the cabin itself as a kitchen.
For a long time it was not known that this simple cabin was the site where Mahler made history.
Perhaps it is thanks to the Toblach teacher Heinrich Oberhammer that people recognized the importance of this cabin and the value of the place itself.
Under his advisement, Toblach got in contact with the International Gustav Mahler Society Vienna (IGGM).
In 1957 there was an official inauguration of the commemorative plaque at the Trenkerhof and the IGGM then installed the exhibition in the composing house.
The Mahler composing house was first restored in 1981.
Since November 30, 1998, the Gustav Mahler composing house has been protected on the registry of historic sites as a "summer house at the Trenkerhof."
In 2022 it was carefully restored for the second time by the “Kaiser and Wolf“ company in accordance with strict historic preservation requirements. The restoration work included, among other things, elaborate drainage, shingle roof cladding (according to the specifications of an old photo from Mahler's family album), and comprehensive restoration of all windows and doors.
Unfortunately, the spruce forest from that time could not be preserved and had to be cut down to protect the composing hut.
Reforestation is carried out every year. Over 50 trees have already been planted. The tree sponsors include Marina Mahler, Mahler Foundation, Gustav Mahler Music Weeks, the Orchestra for the Earth and the International Society for the Research and Promotion of Wind Music(IGEB).
Today, as in the past, the composing house remains in the same place.
The current exhibit in the interior does not contain original furniture. The exhibition shows objects that hint at Mahler busy at work composing. In Mahler's time there was probably a wood stove and a upright piano in the interior. Unfortunately there are no fotos of Mahler in the cabin.
