Walking Mahler's New York

Guided by Musicians of the New York Philharmonic

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Map of Mahler's New YorkOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

A Digital Walking Tour

Musicians of the New York Philharmonic lead you on a tour of the New York City Mahler knew as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, then and now. You’ll see the venues where he performed, his subway stops, the beer hall where he toasted Philharmonic musicians, the arcade where he attended a séance, the opium den he was invited to, and the apartment from which he witnessed a procession for a deceased fireman, the drum beats from which he later incorporated in his Symphony No. 10.

Photographs of New York City Lake and Bridge, Central Park, New York (1903) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Hotel Majestic (115 Central Park West)
00:00

Violinist Hae-Young Ham
The Mr. and Mrs. Timothy M. George Chair

Photographs of New York City Hotel Majestic, N.Y. (circa 1903) by A. LoefflerOriginal Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Hotel Majestic (115 Central Park West), Funeral Procession
00:00

Associate Principal Bass Max Zeugner
The Herbert M. Citrin Chair

Tap to explore

115 Central Park West ... now
The site where the Hotel Majestic stood is now occupied by an apartment building that kept the same name.

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Hotel Majestic to the Metropolitan OperaOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

115 Central Park West to 1411 Broadway

Metropolitan Opera House (circa 1905) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

The Metropolitan Opera (1411 Broadway)
00:00

Bassist Orin O’Brien
The Secular Society Chair

Tap to explore

1411 Broadway ... now
The site of the old Metropolitan Opera House, razed in 1967.

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan The Metropolitan Opera to the KenilworthOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

1411 Broadway to 151 Central Park West

The Kenilworth, 151 Central Park West (1910-03) by New York WorldOriginal Source: Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library

Marcella Sembrich’s House (151 Central Park West)
00:00

Assistant Principal Librarian Sara Griffin

Tap to explore

The Kenilworth ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan The Kenilworth to the Hotel SavoyOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

151 Central Park West to 767 Fifth Avenue

The Hotel Savoy (1911)Original Source: Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library

The Hotel Savoy (767 Fifth Avenue)
00:00

Associate Principal Cello Eileen Moon-Myers
The Paul and Diane Guenther Chair

Tap to explore

767 Fifth Avenue ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan The Hotel Savoy to Carnegie HallOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

767 Fifth Avenue to 881 Seventh Avenue

Carnegie Hall exterior (1894) by Carnegie Hall ArchivesCarnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Avenue)
00:00

Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill
The Edna and W. Van Alan Clark Chair

Tap to explore

Carnegie Hall ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Carnegie Hall to the home of Mary SheldonOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

881 Seventh Avenue to 24 East 38th Street

30-24 East 38th Street (1910)Original Source: Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library

Mary Sheldon’s House (24 East 38th Street)
00:00

Trombonist David Finlayson
The Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Chair

Mary Seney Sheldon (1881) by George Peter Alexander HealyOriginal Source: New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives

New York Philharmonic Guarantors
00:00

Violinist Fiona Simon
The Shirley Bacot Shamel Chair

Tap to explore

24 East 38th Street
The Sheldon residence has since been replaced by an apartment building

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan The home of Mary Sheldon to the Untermyer ResidenceOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

24 East 38th Street to 675 Fifth Avenue

675 Fifth Avenue (1911) by Burton F. WellesOriginal Source: Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library

Untermyer Residence (675 Fifth Avenue)
00:00

Acting Principal Horn Richard Deane

Tap to explore

675 Fifth Avenue ... now

Photographs of New York City Fifth Avenue, North from Fifty-first Street (1900/1906) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Mahler’s Fifth Avenue
00:00

Violinist Marié Rossano

Gustav Mahler, caricature (1908) by Enrico CarusoOriginal Source: New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives

Plaza Hotel (768 Fifth Avenue)
00:00

Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps
The Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Rose Chair

Tap to explore

Mahler's Fifth Avenue ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Plaza Hotel to the Liederkranz ClubOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

768 Fifth Avenue to 111-119 East 58th Street

Liederkranz Building (circa 1890)New York Philharmonic

Liederkranz Club (111-119 East 58th Street)
00:00

Bassoonist Benjamin Kohon
(New York Philharmonic member 1907–12, 1921–43), violinist Herman Martonne (Philharmonic member 1909–11), and violist Herbert Borodkin (New York Symphony member 1904–1909)

William Malloch's "I Remember Mahler," New York Philharmonic: The Mahler Broadcasts, 1948–1982

Tap to explore

111-119 East 58th Street ... now
The Liederkranz Club now resides at 6 East 87th Street

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan The Liederkranz Club to the Tiffany ResidenceOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

111-119 East 58th Street to 898 Madison Avenue

Charles L. Tiffany House, Madison Avenue and East 72nd Street, November 1891. View of Madison Avenue side. (1891) by Elizabeth RansomOriginal Source: New-York Historical Society

Tiffany Residence (898 Madison Avenue)
00:00

Violist Katherine Greene
The Mr. and Mrs. William J. McDonough Chair

Tap to explore

898 Madison Avenue ... now
Site of the Tiffany mansion

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Tiffany Residence to ChinatownOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

898 Madison Avenue to Chinatown

Doyer Street, Chinatown, N.Y.C. (1909) by Stereo-Travel Co.Original Source: Library of Congress

Lower East Side: Opium Den
00:00

Principal Bass Timothy Cobb

Tap to explore

Chinatown ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Chinatown to the Lower East SideOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

Chinatown to the Lower East Side

Lower East Side (circa 1909) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Lower East Side: Jewish Quarter
00:00

Violinist Yulia Ziskel
The Friends and Patrons Chair

Tap to explore

The Lower East Side ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Lower East Side to Lincoln Square ArcadeOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

Lower East Side to 1945 Broadway

Eusapia Palladino séance (1898-11-12)Original Source: New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives

Eusapia Palladino Séance (Lincoln Square Arcade)
00:00

Principal, Second Violin Group, Qianqian Li

Lincoln Square Arcade (1939–1941)New York Philharmonic

(Lincoln Square Arcade, 1945 Broadway)
00:00

Assistant Principal Librarian Sandra Pearson

Tap to explore

1945 Broadway ... now
Currently the site of The Juilliard School and Alice Tully Hall

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Lincoln Square Arcade to Columbus CircleOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

1945 Broadway to 59th Street

Columbus Circle (circa 1913) by Irving UnderhillOriginal Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Mahler’s Subway Stop (Columbus Circle)
00:00

Violinist Anna Rabinova

Tap to explore

Columbus Circle ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Columbus Circle to the Brooklyn Academy of MusicOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

59th Street and Columbus to 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn

Brooklyn Academy of Music (1910) by Irving UnderhillOriginal Source: BAM Hamm Archives

Brooklyn Academy of Music (30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn)
00:00

Principal Bassoon Judith LeClair
The Pels Family Chair

Tap to explore

The Brooklyn Academy of Music ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Brooklyn Academy of Music to Central ParkOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn to Central Park

Photographs of New York City The Mall, Central Park, New York (1900) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Central Park
00:00

Trumpet player Thomas Smith

Anna and Gustav Mahler in Central Park (1910)Original Source: Kaplan Foundation

Mahler's Central Park
00:00

Clarinetist / Bass Clarinet Amy Zoloto

Tap to explore

Central Park ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Central Park to Hotel NetherlandOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

Central Park to 781 Fifth Avenue

Photographs of New York City Hotel Netherland, New York (1905) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Hotel Netherland (781 Fifth Avenue)
00:00

Oboist Robert Botti
The Lizabeth and Frank Newman Chair

Tap to explore

The Sherry-Netherland Hotel ... now

General map of the city of New York, Borough of Manhattan Hotel Netherland to Pennsylvania StationOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

781 Fifth Avenue to 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets

Pennsylvania Station, New York, east facade (circa 1910s) by Detroit Publishing Co.Original Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Pennsylvania Station
00:00

Principal Librarian Lawrence Tarlow

Tap to explore

Pennsylvania Station ... now

Credits: Story

Curated by the New York Philharmonic Archives
Gabryel Smith, Director, Archives & Exhibitions
Sarah Palermo, Assistant Archivist
Bill Levay, Digital Archivist

Script writing: Gabryel Smith, Monica Parks, Director of Publications, Rebecca Winzenried, Program and Publications Editor

Audio editing: Lawrence R. Rock, Audio Director, Mark Travis, Associate Director, Media Production, Ian Good, Assistant, Digital Platforms & Experience

Research: Jeremy Shapiro, Matthew Mugmon, music students of the University of Arizona

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

Interested in Travel?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites