The first music director was Carl Heissler, who was followed by Anton Rubinstein (appointed in 1871) and Johannes Brahms (appointed in 1872). Other notable music directors include Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan and Gustav Mahler. Membership in the Gesellschaft has included a who's who of notable 19th- and 20th-century musical figures, including composers, conductors, and instrumentalists.