Robert Stumpf wrote:

>I was thinking...a habit I don't recommend, about Mahler as I have been
>listening to his 5th by Barbirolli, and began to wonder what is "typcial
>Mahler"? I mean, if you had to select one of his symphonies as "typical"
>as perhaps an introduction to his 'sound world' which one and why?

I can't.  There are subtle differences and I cannot begin to select one as
typical.

Look at things this way: In fact, Mahler wrote only one symphony.  But
it has eleven "movements" and the eleventh movement was left unfinished.
In other words, his whole output was one gigantic work.

Tony Duggan, England.
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Mahler survey now contains THIRD Symphony:
http://www.musicweb.force9.co.uk/music/Mahler/index.html