# Best Mahler symphony?



## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Hello TC community,

I am recently listening to Mahler. I have listened through his first symphony "Titan" and found myself a fan of his music. I was astonished by the beautiful and vivid pictures of nature Mahler paints in his Symphony No.1. As I know, Mahler mainly composed symphonies and his 9 symphonies are very popular today. Which one is your best one and would you recommend it to me? Also, I will be grateful if you can give some listening guides.

KevinW


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

_Das Lied von der Erde_ is considered a symphony in all but name, and these days it's my go-to work by Mahler. Try Ludwig/Wunderlich/Klemperer on EMI/Warner.


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## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

I made a huge mistake. The first Mahler CD I bought was Abbado/CSO/sym7. A critically acclaimed recording. But it was just a huge turn off to me. So I stayed away from Mahler for some years. One time I was listening to Mahler 9. I don’t remember the exact recording. But everything snapped into to focus. I guess I started with late Mahler(9) and worked backwards. Now I love Mahler. But who knows how these things work


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I think you would do well to listen to Mahler's 5th symphony next.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

The two recordings I would recommend for starters are Barbirolli’s 5th and Karajan’s 9th (the more acclaimed live one with his picture on the cover, not the “DG Double” studio version.)


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

KevinW said:


> Hello TC community,
> 
> I am recently listening to Mahler. I have listened through his *first symphony "Titan" *and found myself a fan of his music. I was astonished by the beautiful and vivid pictures of nature Mahler paints in his Symphony No.1. As I know, Mahler mainly composed symphonies and his 9 symphonies are very popular today. Which one is your best one and would you recommend it to me? Also, I will be grateful if you can give some listening guides.
> 
> KevinW


It is NOT the 'Titan' and should not be referred to as such, that was a name that Mahler gave to a precursor work, a 5 movement symphonic poem but never used after he completely revised it as the symphony which we now know...

"_Some modern performances and recordings give the work the title Titan, despite the fact that Mahler only used this label for the second and third performances, and never after the work had reached its definitive four-movement form in 1896. "_


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## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

Both recordings are great as I work through Mahler


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

My favourites are 2nd and 9th but I think 4th might be a better step after the 1st. Perhaps going through the song cycles might be smoother though.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Help me with Mahler!

Perhaps this thread helps.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

The first is a decent start. Why not go through the remainder chronologically? And include at least the three main song cycles (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Kindertotenlieder, and Rueckert Lieder) and the unnumbered symphony Das Lied von der Erde*.

If you just want to skip to and fro through the symphonies, I'd recommend:

1 4 2 6 5 9 DLVDE 3 7 10 8

My personal favourite ranking would be DLVDE 4 9 6 2 10 1 3 7 5 8 by the way.




* Mahler himself called it a symphony.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

8 is his best symphony! Then 9, 6, DLvDE.


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## Snowbrain (Oct 5, 2020)

OK, don't take my word for it but rather 151 of the world's symphony orchestra conductors, who voted to compile this list of the 20 greatest symphonies of all time. Only Beethoven and Brahms have more symphonies on this list than Mahler who has three: his 9th, 2nd, and 3rd. Folks can quibble all they want with these choices (as I also do) but here you have a bevy of experts expressing their view of the greatest instances of the symphonic form which, remember, is hardly 200 years old, beginning with Haydn and mostly petering out in the mid-20th century.

So "best" depends. If you're a beginner to classical music, the best Mahler symphony IMO is the 1st or the 4th. They're both outstanding works and the most accessible in terms of length and structure. If by "best" you mean, his most profound and spiritual symphonies, I would go with the three in the above-mentioned list: the 9th, 2nd, and 3rd. My personal favorites are the 2nd, 9th, and 4th, in that order. The slow movements of the 2nd and 4th (as well as the 5th) are what I want to hear when I'm dying, sublime beauty beyond measure. His 6th is the most tragic; the 3rd and the 8th the best in terms of "grand conception"... again, it all depends on what you mean by best. They're all great, every single one, including _Das Leid Von Der Erde_ (the non-symphony symphony), and of course his unfinished 10th, finished by Deryck Cooke, and given a mighty performance by the Seattle Symphony:


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

My ranking, fwiw:

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

They’re all great. It’s just a question of where to start. 4 is fairly ideal as it is lighter and shorter but full of beautiful moments.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

I think the 9th is the greatest but can be quite difficult for a beginner and I'd recommend 1, 2, 4 and 5 for starters. And the songs and Das Lied von der Erde.


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## JackRance (Sep 13, 2021)

I love the 9th and the 5th, but is a different music from the first and the second. In any case I think you must listen to the fourth movement, "Adagietto" from the 5th symphony. For me the fourth movement of the fifth and the second of Bruckner seventh have the most beautiful late-romantic melodies...


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## JackRance (Sep 13, 2021)

Snowbrain said:


> OK, don't take my word for it but rather 151 of the world's symphony orchestra conductors, who voted to compile this list of the 20 greatest symphonies of all time.


I'm disappointed by this list...


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

JackRance said:


> I'm disappointed by this list...


Don't worry about it Jack, aren't we all disappointed to a degree with lists that don't endorse our own thoughts - and there lies the inherent problem with lists.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Number Six is the "best". If someone is coming to Mahler with some awareness of the 19th century concept of a symphony, it's the Sixth that is the most traditional: four movements, something akin to sonata-allegro design in the outer movements, two contrasting inner movements (let's not start that debate again!), and except for the large percussion battery, the orchestration isn't that far from normal. The Sixth has the highest highs and lowest lows in all of Mahler, and the most beautiful Andante he ever wrote. And there are lots of excellent recordings; and modern digital sound really helps. Eschenbach, Fischer, Maazel, Bernstein, Levi, Levine, Segerstam....they're all great.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> My ranking, fwiw:
> 
> 9 - 5 - 6 - .........


Yes, my top 3 as well, tho they are all great...


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Ignore everything we say. There aren't that many of them -- just listen to them and decide for yourself.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

As for recordings, here is a list that represents a diverse group of well-known versions:

1 - Kubelik
2 - Klemperer
3 - Horenstein
4 - Kletzki
5 - Barbirolli 
6 - Bernstein DG
7 - Abbado
8 - Solti 
9 - Karajan (live 1982)
DLVDE - Ferrier/Patzak/Walter


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

7th by far, probably because it is the most 'modern'. It also seemed to be Schoenberg's favourite. 6th is probably second.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

Another vote for the 5th. The opening fanfare alone is quite satisfying.


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## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

My personal favorites are 2, 3 and 6, but all of them are good. 
I think you'll find that opinion varies quite a bit among Mahler lovers as to which symphonies are the best. I'd recommend getting to know them all and then decide for yourself which you like the best.


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## Aries (Nov 29, 2012)

Phil loves classical said:


> 7th by far, probably because it is the most 'modern'.


Really? The 7th seems kinda modest and sounds more like Richard Strauss to me. Aren't the 6th and 9th more modern for example? The motifs seem to be disconnected very often.

I started with the 9th. I bought it because it was longer than Beethovens 9th. But it sounded to me like Brian Ferneyhough sounds to me now. I missed a flow in the music. Just disconnected motifs. But some parts were interesting, and I listened to it again and again, and today I think it is by far his best symphony.

But these Mahler symphonies are so different, so I don't think it is useful to give an advice. The OP needs to make his own experiences. Different people like different symphonies. I find the 1st boring.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

What's the fuss with #5? Pretty average symphony.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

They have different moods and characters, and some days you'd choose differently, but overall, my favourites ranking would probably be

- 6 /Currentzis, or Bertini 
- 10 complete version /Rattle 1 & 2, or Wigglesworth 
- 9 /no favourite recording, but Kondrashin has a somewhat classicist, less tragic approach 
- DLVDE /Bernstein,Israel PO, or Klemperer/EMI ​- 
- 3 /Rögner, or Bernstein/NYPO
- 5 /no favourite recording
- 4 /no favourite recording
- 7 /no favourite recording
- 2 /no favourite recording
- 1 /no favourite recording
- 8 /no favourite recording


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> What's the fuss with #5? Pretty average symphony.


#5 is a great piece....nothing average about it.. esp the solo trumpet and horn parts.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

................. deleted.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

KevinW said:


> Hello TC community,
> 
> I am recently listening to Mahler. I have listened through his first symphony "Titan" ....
> KevinW





Becca said:


> It is NOT the 'Titan' and should not be referred to as such...


NOT NOT NOT the Titan, people!

And here are a few of the recordings in _my_ collection that get it right!









































Still, you gotta admit: that Symphony No. 1 by Mahler is quite a Titan of a symphony! Well, ain't it?


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## 13hm13 (Oct 31, 2016)

Off the top of my skull ... I'd opt for 5, Mehta/LAPO/1976. Maybe Levine's 5, next? But I usually only listen to the first two mvts of 5, and then move onto ... say ... Mahler's Sy 1, mvt. 4. Thank goodness for playlists


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

KevinW said:


> Hello TC community,
> 
> I am recently listening to Mahler. I have listened through his first symphony "Titan" and found myself a fan of his music. I was astonished by the beautiful and vivid pictures of nature Mahler paints in his Symphony No.1. As I know, Mahler mainly composed symphonies and his 9 symphonies are very popular today. Which one is your best one and would you recommend it to me? Also, I will be grateful if you can give some listening guides.
> 
> KevinW


I will suggest that Mahler's symphonies 1, 4, 5, and 9 are his most immediately accessible in a somewhat traditional "High Romantic" manner. Each is also stunning in its own way. These are the works I would advise a newbie to start with on the road to Mahler.

Symphonies 6 and 7 are orchestral monstrosities, but in a good way, though they may take more time to acquire a taste for. And because of their length they seem quite unlike 1 or 5, for instance. (No. 4 is written for voices, but not in an overwhelming manner at all. It remains my personal favorite Mahler symphony. At least today.)

I first came to Mahler by way of the 2nd Symphony, the "Resurrection", a work for voices and orchestra which captured my entire consciousness and led me to become a Mahler fan(atic).

The 2nd is somewhat akin to the 3rd, another orchestral/vocal work, large in scale, and devastatingly beautiful from start to finish. The final movement of the 3rd, based upon a string quartet movement by Beethoven, remains one of the most striking and gorgeous movements in all of Mahler.)

Symphony No. 8, the so-called "Symphony of a Thousand", remains an acquired taste, even as Mahler goes. Because the choral part is infused deeply from start to finish into this powerful and lengthy piece, it seems less like what we know as a symphony by form. Rather, it seems like some sort of vast Romantic cantata on themes religious and philosophical. I recommend new-comers to Mahler to save it for last. You may, of course, find it the most energizing of all the Mahler works. Some do.

There is a 10th Symphony, but Mahler never finished it. Completed in various designs by a number of folks, the most searing moments are those orchestral pages that Mahler himself scored. This 10th symphony contains what I consider the single most beautiful moment in all of music, so if that makes you curious you may want to listen to the Derek Cooke version.

That's my quick survey for your information.

Keep in mind, I love all the Mahler symphonies and wouldn't want to be without them. Though they tend to run long (but not long enough, for us Mahler fans), each has a movement or two which you may find you are selecting to listen to on its own merits. I do this often with the _marcia funebre _of the First Symphony and the famous Adagietto of the Fifth, as well as to the final movements of both the Third and the Ninth, or the "Night Music" of the Seventh.....


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## Snowbrain (Oct 5, 2020)

JackRance said:


> I'm disappointed by this list...


JackRance I hear ya, but like Malx said, everyone will be disappointed in this list, even the conductors who participated in the poll. We all have our pet faves that _should_ have made it into the list but, oh well.

What's important to keep in mind is that every list has a limited purpose and if we keep that in mind, we can be less disappointed and actually appreciate the list for what it is.

So with limited purposes in mind, this is a list by 151 of the world's CONDUCTORS, folks who are not only highly trained in music, but have thousands of practical hours on the podium, who know the symphonic landscape inside and out, have conducted and compared 100s of symphonies, down to the minutest detail. And the list is limited to the top 20, not 10, not 50. So I think about why a conductor would choose any symphony over another - architecture? innovation? personality? creativity? sheer beauty of form? novelty? difficulty? range? context in which it was written? or any number of more ephemeral qualities, moods, colors, energy, surprise, humor - etc. What can be done with _the symphonic form_? How does historical context play into the choices?

Why for example is Beethoven's 3rd number one while the 9th is number two? If you ask most musicians who've studied/played the _Eroica_, there are so many mind-blowing aspects to this one work, so much creative innovation, such perfect architecture and use of musical vocabulary, that, despite the subsequent greatness of the 9th, the 3rd still checks more "greatest" boxes for conductors than the 9th. It doesn't make the 9th any less great, and I'd say that for every symphony on this list as well as many that are not on this list...

We can at least say that, here are 20 really amazing symphonies that the world's conductors have chosen. I don't see the list as anything other than 20 great symphonies I should know well if I am to say I know the symphonic landscape. Most I know, a bunch I don't know (such as the Bruckner ones). But I'm glad conductors have shared their choices with us. The list might be a bit different next year. A list is just a snapshot in time and is necessarily exclusive more than inclusive. So don't be disappointed - just enjoy the fact that the world's conductors offered their choices of 20 great works we all should know.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Why is 8th the least favorite of everyone? Seems like it is famous for the number of performers, so is it because there are so many performers so that the symphony appears to be dull and overly complicated?


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## BlackAdderLXX (Apr 18, 2020)

I had a hard time with Mahler at first, but after (not) Titan, I went for #4 and fell in love with it. It's probably my favorite still. Previn with Elly Ameling is a great one.



KevinW said:


> Why is 8th the least favorite of everyone? Seems like it is famous for the number of performers, so is it because there are so many performers so that the symphony appears to be dull and overly complicated?


I'm still pretty new to Mahler. I LOVE 1 & 4. I'm becoming more familiar with 5 & 6. The others are going to take more time. #8 is the one that seems least approachable to me. I'm reserving judgement, but this one would take time for me.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

KevinW said:


> Why is 8th the least favorite of everyone? Seems like it is famous for the number of performers, so is it because there are so many performers so that the symphony appears to be dull and overly complicated?


It's not least favourite with me. It requires concentration and attention to the libretto to get the full impact of this amazing work. Simply calling it a symphony doesn't do it justice. It is much more than that. Well it is to me and at the end of the day that's all that really matters!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Barbebleu said:


> It's not least favourite with me. It requires concentration and attention to the libretto to get the full impact of this amazing work. Simply calling it a symphony doesn't do it justice. It is much more than that.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

To me his most approachable symphonies are also his least interesting.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

KevinW said:


> Why is 8th the least favorite of everyone? Seems like it is famous for the number of performers, so is it because there are so many performers so that the symphony appears to be dull and overly complicated?


When the 8th is in the right hands and the stars are aligned, it is a glorious piece of music. I'll admit that even as huge Mahler fan, I'm not in love with the symphony, but I do think it is a rewarding work and must be heard in a committed performance. Either one of Bernstein's performances do it for me. I also like Kubelik and Solti.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Most accessible: 1,4
Advancement: 2,5,erde
Core: 3,6,9
Perplexing: 7,8


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

My favorite Mahler mvt is the slow mvt of 4.


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

KevinW said:


> Why is 8th the least favorite of everyone? Seems like it is famous for the number of performers, so is it because there are so many performers so that the symphony appears to be dull and overly complicated?


The 8th is long and noisy, though I've come to almost like the first half "Veni Creator Spiritus"; but the second "Faust" part is when my mind starts wandering. Mahler's 3rd and Bruckner's 8th are even longer than Mahler's 8th but seem to be more engaging and don't seem as long, at least to me ears. I think with Mahler's 8th he wanted it to be a Beethoven's 9th; a crowning capstone of galactic proportions and to me it just doesn't live up to the expectation.

My favorite Mahler is _Symphony #4_ recorded by Judith Raskin with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. It's Mahler's shortest symphony clocking in at a little less than an hour. Raskin and Szell are so even, so smooth, and so pure, that they practically ruined every other Mahler 4 for me; and I'm not even that much of a Szell fan.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

My mind never wanders in #8. The only part that MAYBE drags on is the introduction of the second movement, but I think it is supposed to evoke barren sparsity and gradual development, which it does excellently. Mahler 3 and Bruckner 8 OTOH are so, so boring. I can't even make it through the first movements of each.

Mahler 2 seems like a lite version of the 8th.


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> My mind never wanders in #8. The only part that MAYBE drags on is the introduction of the second movement, but I think it is supposed to evoke barren sparsity and gradual development, which it does excellently. Mahler 3 and Bruckner 8 OTOH are so, so boring. I can't even make it through the first movements of each.
> 
> Mahler 2 seems like a lite version of the 8th.


We can hear the same pieces with totally different points of view, but I guess that's what makes life, music, and people interesting. Mahler 2 is good and I too have observed a connection between Mahler 2 and 8. Solti made good recordings of each with the Chicago Symphony.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Two thumbs up, Coach.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

8 or 9, probably 9. If 10 were complete it might have been my favorite. I still really like the reconstructions.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Das Lied von der Erde


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

KevinW said:


> "The beautiful and vivid pictures of nature Mahler paints in his Symphony No.1....


I think Bruno Walter with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra might well satisfy based on what appeals to you about the First.

The Symphony No. 4 offers what I feel to be a number of very fine interpretations: Kletzki/Philharmonia Orchestra, Kubelik/Bavarian Radio Symphony, Solti/Amsterdam (Royal) Concertgebouw and Bernstein/New York Philharmonic, to mention a few.

One of the most wonderfully poignant performances of the Mahler Ninth I've heard comes from Sir John Barbirolli and the Berlin Philharmonic.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

KevinW said:


> Hello TC community,
> 
> I am recently listening to Mahler. I have listened through his first symphony "Titan" and found myself a fan of his music. I was astonished by the beautiful and vivid pictures of nature Mahler paints in his Symphony No.1. As I know, Mahler mainly composed symphonies and his 9 symphonies are very popular today. Which one is your best one and would you recommend it to me? Also, I will be grateful if you can give some listening guides.
> 
> KevinW


I don't think I could pick a specific one, but I will say that for me Mahler was at his best in the three central symphonies (4, 5 & 6) and in his very last works (9, 10 and Das Lied von Erde). Number 8 is my least favorite, and though I like 3 and 7, these aren't his tightest works. No. 1 and 2 are just fine but not his very best.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Becoming a mahlerian only recently, I would recommend Symphonies 3, 5 and 6 for they do not include any Kitsch or annoying or mediocre material. They are tightly constructed and Mahler had the time to rework them all. It shows.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

I think the Mahler 3rd is the most sprawling behemoth in the symphonic standard repertoire. It may still be a great piece but "tightly constructed" is rather misleading.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Kreisler jr said:


> I think the Mahler 3rd is the most sprawling behemoth in the symphonic standard repertoire. It may still be a great piece but "tightly constructed" is rather misleading.


Yes, pardon my English, I was inaccurate. The 3rd sure is not tight or concise.

Then again I have never felt the need to edit the 3rd Symphony whereas I have felt the need to edit all 2nd, 7th and 9th Symphonies.

I just don't like the feeling when the composer in me says: "You need some work here, still!"

Hence my choices are: 3rd, 5th, 6th.

(1st, 4th and 8th I just do not care for - yet.)


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

Waehnen said:


> Yes, pardon my English, I was inaccurate. The 3rd sure is not tight or concise.
> 
> Then again I have never felt the need to edit the 3rd Symphony whereas I have felt the need to edit all 2nd, 7th and 9th Symphonies.
> 
> ...


No, Mahler is certainly not tight; not a very good craftsman or a very good at melody. In some ways Mahler's technique is weak, and for many listeners dealing with Mahler's long-winded interludes is not worth the effort. I think that the beauty others find in Mahler is the power of his vision, creativity, and personality. Mahler is an original with big ideas. Bruckner, Mahler, and Shostakovich are the world's greatest composers of what I call the "monster symphonies", and rarely do these composers generate a neutral response.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

The Ninth, IMO. I like Karajan's recording the most out of the three I've listened to.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Coach G said:


> No, Mahler is certainly not tight; not a very good craftsman or a very good at melody. In some ways Mahler's technique is weak, and for many listeners dealing with Mahler's long-winded interludes is not worth the effort. I think that the beauty others find in Mahler is the power of his vision, creativity, and personality. Mahler is an original with big ideas. Bruckner, Mahler, and Shostakovich are the world's greatest composers of what I call the "monster symphonies", and rarely do these composers generate a neutral response.


I had serious problems with Mahler before. Your analysis above sounds relevant to me: I felt a lack of meaningful melodies and felt the music was all over the place, illogical and bombastic to an excess.

After some intensive listening periods I learned to LET GO of my expectations which helped me to open up to the strengths of Mahler music which there are plenty. The symphonic visions are massive and powerful and his orchestra sounds very good indeed. The symphonies are meaningful worlds on which to dwell.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

The Mahler 3rd comes closest to Mahler's supposed dictum that a symphony should be "a whole world". (He neverless exercised restraint as "Das himmlische Leben" was originally to be another movement of the 3rd and became the core/finale of a new symphony.)
So maybe there is reason to call it the most Mahlerian of all.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Kreisler jr said:


> The Mahler 3rd comes closest to Mahler's supposed dictum that a symphony should be "a whole world". (He neverless exercised restraint as "Das himmlische Leben" was originally to be another movement of the 3rd and became the core/finale of a new symphony.)
> So maybe there is reason to call it the most Mahlerian of all.


That's pretty much my take on the 3rd; it may not be Mahler's most accomplished symphony, but it's my favourite because its sound-world fascinates me, and it takes me on so many "journeys". I don't think I'll ever tire of it.


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## Bruce Morrison (Mar 8, 2010)

I think the 6th is his greatest symphony. It's also his most conventional in the sense that it's four purely instrumental movements that pretty much follow the classical symphonic form, albeit in a much-extended timescale. The first movement even has an exposition repeat. It was the first Mahler symphony I really got to know pretty well and it's still probably my favourite. I love most of the symphonies, and the only one I could really do without is the 8th - I just find it hard work and a bit too relentlessly "in your face"! The 3rd Symphony is the other one I have mixed feelings about, because of its strange structure.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

John Zito said:


> _Das Lied von der Erde_ is considered a symphony in all but name, and these days it's my go-to work by Mahler. Try Ludwig/Wunderlich/Klemperer on EMI/Warner.


It's a hell of a lot more convincing as symphony than his 3rd or 8th (which both had some great music but are a bit too gargantuan to listen to in one go as a symphonies), at least for me.


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## DavidUK (10 mo ago)

In order my favourites are 9th, 2nd, 6th, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 4th, 7th, DLVDE, 8th. I also love the 10th but haven't ranked for obvious reasons.


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

the greatest Mahler symphony is clearly no.10 for me , though it would be much safer to say potentially the greatest Mahler symphony. 

My favourite of the completed works has always been no. 3 --- there's simply nothing remotely like it in terms of sound world, scope or structure. Objectively I wouldn't argue with the widespread view of 6 and 9 being at the top of the pile. After these probably the delightful 4th. All the others, except the rightly and widely disliked 8th, have many wonderful moments but also some weaknesses, primarily in stretches of second-rate melodic invention which is largely a subjective thing. I don't think any of the Mahler symphonies are failures in the sense of not achieving what they set out to do.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

^^ I was about to click 'Like' for the above post until I saw "rightly and widely disliked 8th" at which point I was hunting for the 'Ridiculous and outlandish' button 

Having said that, I may well agree about the 10th.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Impossible to answer "the best Mahler Symphony?"

And I find myself saying as I'm listening to any one of his symphonies, "this is my favorite symphony" 

But since I am pressed for an answer, I'll try to rank the symphonies from my most favorite to least:

2, 4, 9, 5, 6, 1, DVLDE, 7, 3, 8, 10


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

Becca said:


> ^^ I was about to click 'Like' for the above post until I saw "rightly and widely disliked 8th" at which point I was hunting for the 'Ridiculous and outlandish' button
> 
> Having said that, I may well agree about the 10th.


by all means hunt for the "Ridiculous and outlandish" button. I probably deserve it. The truth is this work has given me a negative impression on the few occasions I've heard it and I may be doing it an injustice. I freely admit to knowing it considerably less well than any of the others.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

A bleeding chunk of Symphony No. 2. Namely the first 3 movements. Sorry the last 2 movements of the second Symphony have never clicked with me.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Now that I can honestly say I know the works to an extent, I rank the symphonies as follows:

2 = 3 > 5 = 6 = 9 > 4 = 7 > 8 = 1


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## OCEANE (10 mo ago)

All Mahler symphonies render me different feeling and meaning and I just can't really rank them. I would like to suggest that as far as possible, don't just focus on one or two movement but listen to each symphony throughout to get the full mind map of Mahler. Indeed, I found it lack of content if I have to just listen to the Adagietto of The Symphony No. 5, even though it is such a beautiful movement.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

OCEANE said:


> Indeed, I found it lack of content if I have to just listen to the Adagietto of The Symphony No. 5, even though it is such a beautiful movement.


For sure - there are some listeners, apparently, who judge an entire performance of M5 on the Adagietto!! the shortest, briefest, arguably, least important movement of the work....


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

My favourite is number 2. I don’t know whether it’s the best but it’s my favourite and the one I listen to most


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

The OP asked for listening guides. Like everyone knows, I am new to Mahler yet started off very ambitiously. Too ambitiously. I wanted to get an overall picture where I should have just picked one recommended symphony with a recommended performance and concentrate on that one for a while.

Had I known where I was to end up eventually, I wish I had picked up the recommendations of listening to these 2 first:

*M2/Klemperer/Philharmonia

M3/Bernstein/NYP *

Maybe then add the 5th by Barbirolli.

Only then would I have gotten to the more challenging 6th and 9th.


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## methuselah (10 mo ago)

3rd symphony is his best. It's a "world." There's no filler, and nothing is severely out of balance. Arguably each movement is more or less a "stand alone" piece of music. After that? 1, 6, and 4 are good. I didn't enjoy 2, 5, 7, 8, or 9.


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## PathfinderCS (11 mo ago)

My personal favorite is the 8th! I just love how Mahler is just able to put SO many forces together and tame them all for something so glorious and positive. Massive orchestra, mighty organ, double chorus, children's chorus, soloists, and group of singular instruments all playing their part. Only Beethoven's own 9th and Brian's own "Gothic Symphony" come close in scope. That finale leaves me in tears every time.

After that comes the 3rd and 2nd symphonies. Gotta be patient with the rest.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

I am stumped at the appeal of Mahler's 9th. To me the themes are vanilla/quaint/adolescent bordering on comical. Maybe not comical but certainly not serious and too repetitious. Once again, I am persuaded that it must be me. Just like Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. I listen to these pieces and over and over and just think, "What the hell do people hear in these pieces that are so moving?"

To me, Mahler has been an acquired taste. I didn't like him on first, second, or even third listening, although I appreciated the musicality and orchestrations of his pieces on first listening. There is one exception however: The 2nd Symphony. On first listening, I fell in love and it is still my favorite symphony of his and it blows me away every time I listen. I truly love this piece.

V


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## AfterHours (Mar 27, 2017)

If we're including Das Lied I would probably rank as follows... (Note: not including #10 which is extra difficult to "rank")

1) 9
2) 6
3) 5
4) Das Lied
5) 2
6) 8
7) 7
8) 1
9) 4
10) 3

Note that my top 4 are probably set in stone (with 5 and 6 sometimes trading spots, and Das Lied occasionally as high as #2, but his 9th very securely #1 for well over a decade), whereas below that the positions change a lot more, sometimes a near reverse of what they are now.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

1) 2
2) 9
3) 5
4) 6
5) DLvDE
6) 4
7) 1
8) 7
9) 8
10) 3


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Varick said:


> I am stumped at the appeal of Mahler's 9th. To me the themes are vanilla/quaint/adolescent bordering on comical. Maybe not comical but certainly not serious and too repetitious. Once again, I am persuaded that it must be me. Just like Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. I listen to these pieces and over and over and just think, "What the hell do people hear in these pieces that are so moving?"
> 
> To me, Mahler has been an acquired taste.


I think, that's perfectly normal. I had probably heard 1,2,4 and 5 and then listened to the 9th on the radio (or I recorded it from the radio as I did sometimes as a teenager because I could afford only so few CDs, so sound wasn't great either) expecting to like it and I found the beginning with the muted horn plain ugly. And of course it was far too long, especially the first movement. It took about two years but eventually it became my favorite. I now find that beginning mysteriously melancholic, very beautiful because/despite the strange lonely sound of the muted horn. [Although totally different, the beginning of Le sacre also fascinates with a strange sound of the high register bassoon.]
But only the 2nd movement seems darkly comical to me.


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## ansfelden (Jan 11, 2022)

next week i am working remote, so it might be the right time trying again to find a way to Mahler with the LSO and - horribile dictu - Valery Gergiev edition i have on the shelf for years.


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## Ludwig Schon (10 mo ago)

Mahler

1. Kubelik & Bav.
2. Meta & VPO
3. Horenstein & LSO
4. Fischer & Buda.
5. Barshai & JDP
6&7. Abbado & BPO
8. Horenstein & LSO
9. Karajan & BPO (Live)
10. Vanska & MO
DLVDE. Klemperer & Ludwig
Kinder&Ruckert. Barbirolli & Baker


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## JSL888 (3 mo ago)

9, 5, 6, 7, 2, 4, 10, 1, DLvdE, 3, 8
They're all great though


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Let's have some fun and rate all the individual movements!

9/1
6/4
10/1
3/1
6/2 (andante)
DLvdE/1
5/2
DLvdE/6
3/6
4/1
5/5
5/1
5/3
9/3
7/1
8/1
DLvdE/2
7/3
10/5
6/1
10/2
3/3
6/3 (scherzo)
10/3
3/4
7/2
DLvdE/4
10/4
4/4
2/4
DLvdE/3
4/3
3/5
5/4
4/2
1/1
9/2
2/3
9/4
2/1
7/4
DLvdE/5
7/5
1/2
2/2
3/2
2/5
1/4
8/2
1/3


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Let's not


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Symphony 2 would be considered his best.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

2, 8, 9, 3, 5, 7, 4, 1, 6. Today!😎


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

RobertJTh said:


> Let's have some fun and rate all the individual movements!
> 
> 9/1
> 6/4
> ...


I am tempted, but... 

Your list sure is interesting!


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Becca said:


> Let's not


Awww, why not? 😋


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