# Which Mahler Rondo do you like better



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

The two rondos in Mahler’s symphonies (#5 of #5, #5 of #7) are, IMO, two of the most underrated movements of all of his symphonies. The rondo of the 5th is beautiful, while the rondo of the 7th is just fun. Some people say that they seem out of place, but in my opinion, they fit beautifully within the symphonies. So which of them do you like better, the beautiful, passionate 5th rondo, or the fun and jubilant 7th rondo.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Although there's more jubilation in the 7th's Rondo, the Rondo of the 5th has plenty as well. Overall, I'll go with the Rondo of the 5th which has a better balance of gentleness and strength. The balance feature has more significance for me in longer movements, and both of Mahler's are over 15 minutes.


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## Ulfilas (Mar 5, 2020)

My favourite PERFORMANCES of the two rondos are by Pierre Boulez (Vienna and Cleveland).


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Not to quibble, but isn't the Burleske (no.3) of the Ninth also a rondo? In which case for me it's a toss-up between the Fifth (which is pure fun) and the Ninth (which aspires to terror).


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

I prefer #5/V, it's more perfectly structured, #7 is a bit episodic, a bit more disjointed..neat movement, fun,...but #5 is tighter...the closing pages of 5 are really thrilling when done right


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

MarkW said:


> Not to quibble, but isn't the Burleske (no.3) of the Ninth also a rondo?


Yes, And that's the one I'd vote for if it was part of the poll :-(


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## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

MarkW said:


> Not to quibble, but isn't the Burleske (no.3) of the Ninth also a rondo? In which case for me it's a toss-up between the Fifth (which is pure fun) and the Ninth (which aspires to terror).


Yes, and it's also a fantastic piece. However I mostly was talking about the two finales as they are more comparable in my opinion.


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

I view them as two of Mahler's weakest movements, maybe even the two weakest. Neither has ever been able to completely hold my attention all the way through. That said, I do love the coda of the 5th finale so I give the edge to it, while the 7th is a wild carnival amalgam of Mahlerian eccentricity that just doesn't hang together. However, the 9th's Rondo-Burleske is one of my favorite all-time symphonic movements, and possibly his greatest piece of composing.


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## MrMeatScience (Feb 15, 2015)

I think I have a slight preference for the Seventh Symphony over the Fifth, but the finale of the Seventh is one of the only movements of his that I just can't get on with. I have no problem with it in a vacuum, but as many others do, I find that it sounds really out of place in the context of the symphony as a whole. The transition from the nocturnal world of the first four movements to the "full daylight" of the finale is too unprepared for my ears. I trust that Mahler knew better than I do, but I don't get it.

The finale of the Fifth is really fun. I've seen this symphony live on a few occasions; rare are the performances that don't leave me exhilarated. I took a friend who was visiting Vienna from the States when the WPO was playing this piece. He turned to me as soon as it was over with a big grin on his face. The fun is infectious!


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> I view them as two of Mahler's weakest movements, maybe even the two weakest. Neither has ever been able to completely hold my attention all the way through. That said, I do love the coda of the 5th finale so I give the edge to it, while the 7th is a wild carnival amalgam of Mahlerian eccentricity that just doesn't hang together. However, the 9th's Rondo-Burleske is one of my favorite all-time symphonic movements, and possibly his greatest piece of composing.


The Finales of both always seem inconclusive and have a grafted on feel, as if they don't represent an outgrowth of what preceded. Mahler at his most Brucknerian


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Triplets said:


> The Finales of both always seem inconclusive and have a grafted on feel, as if they don't represent an outgrowth of what preceded. Mahler at his most Brucknerian


Well, "Brucknerian" is not a negative adjective to me, but I know what you're getting at! Although Bruckner's finales are my weak spot with him - really long finales are just a general pet peeve for me; I think Brahms wrote the greatest symphonic finales.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Triplets said:


> The Finales of both always seem inconclusive and have a grafted on feel, as if they don't represent an outgrowth of what preceded. Mahler at his most Brucknerian


The finale of the Fifth is thematically linked to earlier movements, especially to the chorale at the end of the second movement, so it is quite objectively "an outgrowth of what preceded," a carefully planned dramatic resolution of the symphony's issues.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I find the finale of the Fifth such a whirlwind that if i 'm playing it in my head and not paying attention I can miss the off-ramp and whirl around in it for hours.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

The very last measures of the Fifth are, to me, the most blatantly obvious call for a standing ovation that I know of.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I like the Rondo Burleske from 9 the best, personally. That might be my favorite of any Mahler movement. Pure wildness. And he references good old Emmanuel Chabrier.


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