As has been mentioned, there's no such thing as "typical" Mahler as his
style evolved too much for one piece to capture everything.

Given that, the one piece that IMO encapsulates the most of those elements
is the second symphony.  It has a Wunderhorn vocal setting, funeral march,
song based scherzo, chorus, wide range of emotions, etc etc.  While it
doesn't have a transcendent slow movement, many of those emotional buttons
are pushed in the often beautiful finale.

However, for an introduction to his music I would recommend the first
symphony, in particular Kubelik's recording which can be had also coupled
with a nice Fischer-Dieskau setting of the Wayfarer songs.  With the first
Mahler emerges with his mature voice.  From there one whose interest is
piqued can proceed sequentially through the symphonies and experience
Mahler's evolution as a composer.  Stopovers at the contemporary song
cycles along the way would add to the rewards.

I would never say that Mahler is best realized in his songs.  Like the
symphonies, they are also masterpieces but to me he is our greatest
symphonist.  The more intimately that I know this music, the better it
gets.  What might have come across as sprawling and diffuse at first
hearing now seems compact and logical.  At times I still get the feeling
that the over 30 minute finale to the second should have an extra verse
or two.

Tim Dickinson
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