# Favorite Movement in Each Mahler Symphony



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

There have been threads where people say or rank their favorite symphonies by a particular composer. I want to do something a bit different. In this thread, I want to ask what your favorite movement from each Mahler symphony is. If it is too hard for you to decide, you can just say your top ten favorite Mahler movements. Here is mine:

Symphony No. 1: Movement 4
Symphony No. 2: Movement 5 (Actually my favorite symphonic movement of all time!)
Symphony No. 3: Movement 6
Symphony No. 4: Movement 3
Symphony No. 5: Movement 5
Symphony No. 6: Movement 4
Symphony No. 7: Movements 3 and 5 (tie)
Symphony No. 8: Part 1
Symphony No. 9: Movement 1

What can I say, I love finales!


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## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

This is fun.

Here goes!

Symphony No. 1: Movement 1

Symphony No. 2: Movement 3

Symphony No. 3: Movement 1

Symphony No. 4: Movement 3

Symphony No. 5: Movement 3

Symphony No. 6: Movement 3

Symphony No. 7: Movement 1

Symphony No. 8: Part 2

Das Lied von der Erde: Der Einsame im Herbst

Symphony No. 9: Movement 1

Symphony No. 10: Movement 1 (of course)


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## Johnnie Burgess (Aug 30, 2015)

This has been done before:Favorite Movement in each Mahler Symphony


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

No. 1: Mvmt. 4
No. 2: Mvmt. 5
No. 3: Mvmt. 6
No. 4: Mvmt. 3
No. 5: Mvmt. 4
No. 6: Mvmt. 4
No. 7: Mvmt. 3
No. 8: Mvmt. 1
DLVDE: Der Abschied
No. 9: Mvmt. 1
No. 10: Mvmt. 5 completion


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

I do not know all the Mahler symphonies yet:

Symphony 1: movement 4
Symphony 2: movement 2
Symphony 3: movement 1


Symphony 6: movement 1

Symphony 8: movement 2
DLVDE: Von der Jugend
Symphony 9: movement 2
Symphony 9


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## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

Ulfilas said:


> This is fun.
> 
> Here goes!
> 
> ...


Which movement do you consider the third movement, the Scherzo or Andante?


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## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

Johnnie Burgess said:


> This has been done before:Favorite Movement in each Mahler Symphony


Oops! Didn't know that! I was actually thinking of doing this for multiple composers and wanted to start with Mahler. My mistake!


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Let me give this a shot:

Symphony No.1: First movement
Symphony No.2: Fourth movement, "Urlicht"
Symphony No.3: Tough call, probably either the first movement or the fourth movement w/ Zarathustra's Roundelay
Symphony No.4: Third movement, Ruhevoll
Symphony No.5: Fourth movement, Adagietto
Symphony No.6: The Andante
Symphony No.7: Third movement, the Scherzo
Symphony No.8: Part II, the Final Scene from Goethe's Faust II, but if I have to get more specific, the Chorus Mysticus at the very end
Symphony No.9: First movement, duh. (Though the Adagio finale is amazing, that first movement is probably the greatest single movement Mahler ever wrote)
Symphony No.10: First movement, duh. 
Das Lied von der Erde: Der Einsame im Herbst, or Der Abschied (really close call!)

Man, this is making me want to listen to some Mahler! I have been taking a big break from his music after going too hard with it in April-May-June.


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## calvinpv (Apr 20, 2015)

Symphony 1: 1 > 4 > 3 > 2
Symphony 2: 5 > 3 > 2 > 1 = 4
Symphony 3: 3 > 2 > 1 > 5 > 4 > 6 (my least favorite Mahler movement in all the symphonies)
Symphony 4: 1 = 4 > 2 > 3
Symphony 5: 5 > 3 > 2 > 4 > 1
Symphony 6: 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 (Scherzo/Andante)
Symphony 7: 1 = 5 > 4 > 3 > 2 (my favorite symphony)
Symphony 8: 2 > 1
Symphony 9: 3 > 2 > 1 > 4 (the Rondo-Burleske is my favorite Mahler movement)
Symphony 10: 1 (only heard the Adagio)
DLVDE: Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde > Von der Jugend > Von der Schönheit > Der Abschied > Der Einsame im Herbst > Der Trukene im Frühling


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## Plague (Apr 4, 2020)

Symphony No. 1: Movement 1
Symphony No. 2: Movement 4
Symphony No. 3: Movement 4
Symphony No. 4: Movement 4
Symphony No. 5: Movement 4
Symphony No. 6: Movement 3 (Andante)
Symphony No. 7: Movement 3
Symphony No. 8: Orchestral prelude to Part II 
Symphony No. 9: Movement 1
Das Lied von der Erde: Der Abschied


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

I'm probably expected to chime in, so:

1st: 3rd movement (sheer audacity)
2nd: 1st (natch)
3rd: 6th (Abbado/Vienna; accept no substitutes)
4th: 3rd (the most joyous sorrow)
5th: 5th (for general purposes - has there ever been a more blatant call for a standing ovation?)
Adagietto - (but only if Kondrashin's conducting)
6th: Andante (Aw, heck - I love 'em all!)
7th: 3rd (Scherzo) (Spooooooky!)
8th: Part II (because it's not Part I)
DLvdE: Der Einsame im Herbst (falling leaves in China - come on!)
9th: 1st (agree with flamencosketches: greatest movement of his career)
10th: 1st. Unsettling/playful/sarcastic/spare/majestic/utterly terrifying/resigned/peaceful; something for everyone.


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## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

mahlernerd said:


> Which movement do you consider the third movement, the Scherzo or Andante?


The Andante! Good point.


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

1st: Movement 4 
2nd: "Urlicht" or the Finale, cannot possibly choose just one of them
3rd: The Finale, without any doubt. One of my very favorite movements in all of music. 
4th: Ruhevoll Movement 3
5th: I love the Adagietto, but the subsequent finale is among the most overwhelmingly joyful pieces of music I know, so I give the last movement my vote. 
6th: The heartbreaking and pastoral Andante 
7th: Movement 3, the Scherzo 
8th: Final Scene of Goethe's Faust 
DLVDE: It must be Der Abschied. "_Ewig... Ewig..._"
9th: Yes, the first movement is often considered his ultimate achievement, and perhaps it is, but the closing Adagio is what seals it in my mind as Mahler's greatest symphony. Seeing it performed live is something truly special. 
10th: If Mahler completed the symphony, I think the Finale would be my choice.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

1: 4
2: 1
3: 3
4: 1
5: 5
6: 4
7: 1
8: 1
9: 3
10: 5
dlvde: 6


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

1: 1
2: 5
3: don't know well enough
4: 1
5: 4
6: 1
7: don't know well enough
8: 2
9: 1 (!!!)
DLvDE: 6 (!!!)


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## Ravn (Jan 6, 2020)

Really hard to choose movements (except for symphony 8), so the following list has to be taken with an ocean of salt.

Symphony No. 1: Movement 4
Symphony No. 2: Movement 1
Symphony No. 3: Movement 6
Symphony No. 4: Movement 1
Symphony No. 5: Movement 1
Symphony No. 6: Movement 1 (really all of it) 
Symphony No. 7: Movement 3
Symphony No. 8: None
Symphony No. 9: Movement 4
Das Lied von der Erde: 6


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Hmm, let me see... 

Symphony No. 1: Movement 4
Symphony No. 2: Movement 1
Symphony No. 3: Movement 1
Symphony No. 4: Movement 3
Symphony No. 5: Movement 4
Symphony No. 6: Movement 1
Symphony No. 7: Movement 5
Symphony No. 8: Movement 2
Symphony No. 9: Movement 1


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## BenG (Aug 28, 2018)

Wow, looking over this I really like Finales.

Symphony No. 1: Finale - I adore the lyrical string melody after the stormy opening section, I don't think it is talked about enough.
Symphony No. 2: Finale - Like gloriously ascending into Heaven. 
Symphony No. 3: Finale - Pure bliss.
Symphony No. 4: Adagio - High strings at the end always get me.
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto - I honestly don't really care for the other movements except maybe the finale.
Symphony No. 6: I really love the Andante, but the Finale is IMO the greatest movement Mahler ever wrote.
Symphony No. 7: 1st Movement - Just so Mahlerian. 
Symphony No. 8: I mean there's only 2 movements so having a favourite doesn't say much but the finale because of the ending.
Symphony No. 9: Finale - The silence at the end is... well... adjectives don't do it justice.
Symphony No. 10: Finale - I think this movement, especially the way it ends, is the deepest expression of confronting death in music. When the violins descend from the G sharp to the final chord, a feeling of acceptance and embracement of the inevitable end that is universally faced is generated, creating a meaningful end of a symphony cycle which represents a journey lasting 10 symphonies - One which I love to pretentiously rattle on about.


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## Marc (Jun 15, 2007)

Gonna make this a quick one.

01: 1
02: 1
03: 6
04: all
05: 3
06: 4
07: 1
08: 1
Das Lied: 2
09: 1 & 4 (tie)
10: 1


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

1/4
2/1
3/6
4/1
5/5
6/4
7/1
8/2
9/1


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## Lusvig (May 30, 2015)

1: 1
2: It's either 1 or 5, but I guess I'll go with 5
3: 6
4: never really liked this one, but last movement has its moments
5: 1
6: the adagio, so either 2 or 3
7: 1
8: never really got this one. gonna have to pass


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Symphony I: Third movement
Symphony II: First movement
Symphony III: First movement
Symphony IV: Third movement
Symphony V: Second movement
Symphony VI: First movement
Symphony VII: First movement
Symphony VIII: Part I
Symphony IX: First movement


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## eric1 (Oct 27, 2020)

1: 1
2: 5
3: 6
4: 3
5: 4
6: 4
7 and 8 : abstain
9: 4


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## eric1 (Oct 27, 2020)

1: 1 (my favorite opening)
2: 5 
3: 6
4: 2
5: 4 
6: 4
7: 4, maybe? Meh.
8: Part 1
9: 4


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## MrMeatScience (Feb 15, 2015)

1/1
2/2
3/1
4/3
5/4
6/1
7/1
8/2 (the orchestral slow section at the beginning, if I had to narrow it down)
DLvdE/6
9/1
10/1

Looks like I like opening movements.. I agree with those who have said that the first movement of the Ninth is his greatest composition (although I ping pong with the opening of 10 and Der Abschied on some days). I think the opening movement of the Seventh is really criminally underrated, though. It's really progressive tonally and formally.


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

Symphony No.1: Movement 1
Symphony No.2: Movement 4
Symphony No.3: Movement 1 (favourite opening)
Symphony No.4: Movement 3 (favourite slow movement)
Symphony No.5: Movement 2
Symphony No.6: Andante moderato
Symphony No.7: Movement 1 (favourite single movement)
Symphony No.8: Movement 2 (more like the finale)
Das Lied von der Erde: Movement 3 (Vikings and Dragons chills)
Symphony No.9: Movement 4 (it doesn't even need a myth to be so meaningful)
Symphony No.10: Movement 5


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