Bernard Chasan:

>Mahler awaits you.  Try the Second Symphony which has lot's of choral
>stuff.  But for sheer unhappiness (but no singing) there is the Sixth
>Symphony.  And the crowning glory is the Ninth.

While I agree that Mahler's 9th is without doubt one of the great
masterpieces, I've always felt that the great journey through Mahler
should be in order of the symphonies from 1-10 (Das Lied between 8 and 9).

I personally need some preparation (sometimes months) before I can return
to the 6th and 9th which IMHO are the most spiritially draining.

David Rothstein