Steinbach

Steinbach Review

From Seewalchen, head south along the road lining the eastern shore of the Attersee and go to Steinbach, another refuge for an Austrian cultural giant, in this case, Gustav Mahler, who wrote some of his Des Knaben Wunderhorn songs here, the second to sixth movements of his Second Symphony, and his entire Third Symphony during four holidays beginning in 1893. Mahler's pupil, the great conductor Bruno Walter, visited him here and was overwhelmed with the beauty of the landscape. Mahler only grumbled, "You don't have to pay attention to it—I composed it already!"

Music lovers make a beeline for the composer's Komponierhäuschen, the little wooden hut he had built so that he could work undisturbed in total isolation next to the lake (it figures prominently in Ken Russell's film about the composer). Head for the Gasthof Föttinger to get the key for the hut (don't forget to lock the door afterward and bring the key back). 07663/8100.