# Favorite Mahler Period



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

Mine is the middle period, comprising of symphonies 5-8. I prefer this period because I believe it is really a perfect balance of the romantic influences of the earlier period and the more modern style of the later period. The sixth is my favorite Mahler symphony and the 7th is actually a close second (surprisingly). So how about you, what’s your favorite Mahler period.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I like the middle period least. Of the symphonies 5-8, the 6th is the only one I care much for, but I don't like it as much as 1 and 2, some of the songs, _Das Lied von der Erde_ (my favorite Mahler work), or the adagio of the 10th.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I tend to listen to 1 through 4 the most.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I like the period between Klagende Lied and the Adagio from the 10th.


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## Isaac Blackburn (Feb 26, 2020)

With Mahler the evolution is so continuous and artistically logical that division seems artificial, and I don't think the periods exist in any meaningful sense. 
The _least artificial_ periodization seems to be 1-3 in the "first cycle", 4-6 in the "second cycle", 7-8 in the "great cycle" and Das Lied-10 in the "late cycle", with the Finales of the 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 10th closing out each cycle respectively. I don't believe the presence or absence of voices to be an important marker.

This poll wasn't too difficult, though: OP put the best works (5,6) of the second cycle alongside the greatest symphonies (7,8), so I picked the middle option.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

This is too close to call for me...
my favorite Mahler Symphonies are 9, 5, and 6; along with DLvDE

That means a tie between middle and late....I don't really regard #8 [which I love] as belonging to either period - it stands by itself..


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Definitely the middle, although I would trim it: 5, 6, 7.


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## Ned Low (Jul 29, 2020)

It has to be 1-4. My all time favourite Mahler symphony is the first one _Titan_. Kubelik's recording of this symphonyis the amazing. I also enjpy his 2nd,4th,5th and 6th symphonies and listen to them occasionally.
I find the 7th and the 8 demanding at the moment, so i need more time with the late symphonies.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

I think Das Lied von der Erde and Symphony no. 9are two of the greatest orchestral works of all time.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Though my interest in listening to Mahler has waned somewhat over the past few years, my favorite lp interpretations of his symphonies have not lost their long standing position on the shelf of my stately record cabinet. My choice period still includes symphonies 1-4, conducted and played by

Walter/Columbia Symphony for #1
Solti/London Symphony for #2
Kubelik/BRSO for #3
Klemperer and Kletzki each with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Solti/Amsterdam (Royal) Concertgebouw for #4


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Voted for the late period, surprised to see the early period so far ahead. DLVDE is my favorite work by Mahler.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm not big on favorites. I enjoy all of Mahler's works.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Easily the late period for me as well. I rarely listen to Mahler, but the 9th and DLvDE remain two of my favorite works of CM.


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## DrSardonicus (Dec 30, 2018)

Symphony 1 has not grabbed me like the others, but the 3rd is my favourite. 2 is so wonderful throughout, and the 4th is the perfect balance between the light and the dark which so epitomises Mahler. It's the early period for me. 

Actually that quite surprises me, because for the longest time the 6th was my favourite, and I absolutely adore the 9th and 10th. The 8th has been a tough nut to crack for me, I just haven't got into it yet. I like the 5th, but it's always felt as though it's missing something vital - I have no idea what. The 7th continues to fascinate, but hasn't got under my skin to the furthest degree yet. 

So much to love about Mahler's symphonies - we're truly blessed.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I am no Mahler expert but I do enjoy the middle period works here the most


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## Skakner (Oct 8, 2020)

Middle Period for me, except Symphony 8. I have never been connected to it.


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## JakeWebster (Dec 26, 2020)

My fav pieces
Das Lied
9th

Great pieces
2nd
4th
5th

Ok pieces
1st

Disliked pieces
6th

Ones I haven't heard
3rd
7th
8th
10th

So my fav period is *Late Period*.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Interesting grouping. Perhaps putting together 1-4 makes sense or DLVDE & the last two symphonies but throwing 8 in with 5-7 feels really quite odd; I'm not sure what's to be done about it, as putting it with the late period would have felt wrong as well. 

I ultimately voted for the late period, but want to put in a good word for the 8th. I feel it gets unfairly bashed for two main reasons: a proliferation of average performances and, perhaps not entirely unrelated, an unabashed romantic sincerity that is horridly out of vogue currently.


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## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

By the way, for those wondering or confused on how I grouped these periods, I went off of the Wikipedia article: _List of compositions by Gustav Mahler_.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Gustav_Mahler


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

mahlernerd said:


> By the way, for those wondering or confused on how I grouped these periods, I went off of the Wikipedia article: _List of compositions by Gustav Mahler_.
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Gustav_Mahler


I think the point is that many (myself included) do not feel that Mahler 8 fits in with either the middle symphonies, or the late ones....it pretty much stands alone.


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## Simon23 (Dec 8, 2020)

My favorite symphonies are 2 and 4. 3 is close to them. But at the same time, I consider the DLVDE one of Mahler's main masterpieces. And yet the my vote for the early period.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

DLVDE is not only my favourite Mahler composition, it is my favourite composition period. After that I rate 4, 9, 6, 2, 10, 1 (in that order) all in the highest tier of 100 works as well. So the choice for me was between early and late - DLVDE clinched it for late.


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