Building a Collection #32
Symphony no. 2 in C minor, “Resurrection”
By Gustav Mahler
_____________________
“It struck me like lightning, this thing, and everything was revealed to me clear and plain.”
-Gustav Mahler upon discovering the text for his Resurrection Symphony
We have arrived at #32 on our Building a Collection journey. Once again, thank you for joining us on this epic journey! For this entry, we encounter Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 2, “Resurrection”. One of Mahler’s most popular works, this massive symphony speaks to the struggle and banality of life, but also the hope and beauty present in a vision of the afterlife.
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler (1860 – 1911) was certainly one of the greatest composers of his time, and perhaps of all-time. Born in Bohemia (then part of the Austrian empire) to Jewish parents of humble means, Mahler first rose to fame as one of the leading conductors of his time. He became known later, and is known today, primarily for his compositions. The reason his music did not become more well-known sooner may be attributed to the fierce anti-Semitism present in late 19th and early 20th century Vienna, the musical capital of the world at the time. Another reason may be the reputation that Mahler’s compositions gained for being too long and complicated (indeed, most of Mahler’s symphonies are rather long!).
Because it is relevant to Mahler’s life and his work, it is important to mention his faith. Although Mahler was born into a Jewish family, when he entered Vienna Conservatory at the age of 15 he was exposed to fellow students from all creeds and walks of life. When he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1897, it was believed to be a mostly pragmatic decision given his rise as a conductor and the anti-semitism in Vienna at the time. But Mahler was actually quite versed in Christianity, he read the bible and of course knew the sacred music and Masses set to music by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Bruckner. Moreover Mahler would have been familiar with Christian themes in literature by such writers as Shakespeare, Dante, Goethe, and Dostoyevsky. But perhaps most influential on Mahler was from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, an anthology of medieval folk poems full of Christian symbolism. Mahler would compose 23 songs based upon them, and their simplicity and almost mystical longing for meaning and for a paradise beyond this world spoke profoundly to him. Throughout Mahler’s life he seemed to be searching for unconditional acceptance, and he maintained a belief in God although he doubted whether God had any influence on human events. The pattern in Mahler’s works was established early, namely that human suffering is all-pervasive and unavoidable, but ultimately there is transcendent hope in a resurrection and an afterlife. This is best elucidated in his Symphony no. 2, “Resurrection” further addressed below, but is repeated in some form in nearly all his works. So it is evident Mahler’s faith was much more than just pragmatic.
As a composer, Mahler occupies a space between the Austro-German romantic tradition prevalent in the late 19th century, and the modernism that emerged in the early 20th century. He entered the Vienna Conservatory in 1875 and studied piano, harmony, and composition. At the time he became an advocate for the music of both Wagner and Bruckner, two of the most well-known German composers of the day. He would later conduct both of their works frequently, despite Wagner’s notorious anti-Semitism. Mahler was a big part of the transition from the Romantic period to the Modern period in classical music, and he greatly influenced composers of the so-called “Second Viennese School” including Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern. Other famous composers very much influenced by Mahler’s music include Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Dmitri Shostakovich, Kurt Weill, and Benjamin Britten.
Mahler’s conducting career began in about 1880, and around the same time he composed his first notable work, Das Klagende Lied (Song of Lamentation). His conducting career advanced quickly, and he took up posts in Kassel, Prague, Leipzig, and Budapest respectively. His conducting style was characterized by a dictatorial manner and perfectionistic demands, and even though he achieved a lot of critical acclaim, he was also despised by many musicians that played under him.
In 1897 Mahler took the helm of the Vienna Court Opera and then later the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. For a conductor, this was reaching the top of your field. Because of his responsibilities in Vienna, he had little time for composition, and generally only composed in the summers. Mahler built a series of “huts” out in the country, in places that inspired him, and he used the huts for composing. Soon he began presenting his compositions to the public, but the Viennese had a difficult time comprehending his first symphony and his large-scale song-symphony Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth). However, Mahler seemed to take the lack of acceptance in stride, believing that his time would eventually come.
In 1901, adversity arrived for Mahler. On February 24, 1901 he conducted a matinee of Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony, and then that evening he conducted Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a grueling day of work. Later that evening he suffered an intestinal hemorrhage and needed emergency surgery and nearly died. Shortly thereafter, he resigned from his post at the Vienna Philharmonic. Despite the hardships, Mahler returned to continue conducting at the Vienna Court Opera, and built a holiday home in Carinthia. The summer of 1901 was particularly productive for composition, and this included work on his Symphony no. 5 as well as Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children) and Das Knaben Wunderhorn (The Young Boy’s Magic Horn). In the fall of 1901, he met Alma Schindler. They would marry in 1902 and soon had two daughters. In general this was a happy time for Mahler.
In 1907, Mahler resigned from the Vienna Court Opera because he was away so often, and was beginning to gain more traction as a composer. He also wanted a break from the conservative Viennese music press, which had been consistently brutal in its treatment of Mahler. He accepted the post of principal conductor of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. However, shortly after accepting the post his four year-old daughter died from scarlet fever and diphtheria, and he himself discovered he had some heart problems.
In New York, Mahler quickly gained audience approval and in 1909 he accepted the post of conductor of the New York Philharmonic, which he found agreeable to playing his own compositions. Despite career success such as the triumphant premiere of his Symphony no. 8 “Symphony of a Thousand” in Munich, his personal life suffered and his marriage with Alma began having problems. Even so, they stayed together and when Mahler became quite ill, Alma took him back to Vienna where he died on May 18, 1911 at the age of 50.
Harold Schonberg writes about Mahler in the Lives of the Great Composers:
“…Mahler’s music creates an actual frenzy. Again, there are doubters, those who find Mahler’s music too neurotic and often too banal for enjoyment. The dedicated Mahlerian regards these unregenerates the way St. Paul regarded the heathen. It is hard to think of a composer who arouses an equal loyalty. The worship of Mahler amounts to a religion. Any music critic will attest to the fact that a response of anything except rapture to the Mahler symphonies will bring long letters of furious denunciation…Life-melody…fate…resignation…joys…death…glorification…Mahler evokes a moral, psychic, mystic, Freudian impulse. Mahler’s admirers find themselves talking about soul states, inner crises, ecstasy, apotheoses, transfiguration, fate, Nature with a capital N, spirit, the all-in-one and the one-in-all. Mahler’s heroic and futile struggle to make sense out of life passes through the music to the listener.”
Symphony no. 2 “Resurrection”
Mahler turned his attention to a second symphony almost immediately after completing his first. The Symphony no. 2, also known as the Resurrection Symphony, was written between 1888 and 1894, with the first performance taking place in 1895. The symphony was one of Mahler’s most successful and popular works during his own lifetime, and its popularity among his symphonies remains strong today. A 2016 BBC Magazine poll named it the fifth-greatest symphony of all-time (on our own list it is the 10th greatest symphony of all-time, and comes in third among Mahler’s symphonies).
The symphony reflects a considerable development from the first symphony, with its use of voices in the fourth and fifth movement, and a clearer declaration of Mahler’s own views about the pain and struggles of human life alongside the glorification of the afterlife and resurrection, general themes that are found in all of Mahler’s symphonies. Once again we hear some phrases on brass floating in from a distance in the finale (something Mahler had used quite effectively in his first symphony). Even though the stated key is C minor, like most of Mahler’s works the main key tends to move around quite a bit.
As early as 1888 Mahler had composed a symphonic poem titled Totenfeier (Funeral Rites), which would eventually become the first movement of his second symphony. It would be five more years before Mahler composed the second and third movements. The fourth movement is a song (sung by an alto voice) titled “Urlicht” (Primeval Light) taken from a collection of songs Mahler was going to use in his song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn, until he removed it from Wunderhorn and placed it in the symphony.
But the fifth movement took longer for Mahler. Mahler knew he wanted the finale to be a vocal movement, and even though he knew it would draw inevitable comparisons to the choral finale of Beethoven’s Ninth, Mahler had a lot of confidence in his abilities. But finding the appropriate text for the finale would prove a challenge. As it happened, the famed conductor Hans von Bülow was working in Hamburg at the same time as Mahler, and even though von Bülow did not suffer fools gladly, he supported Mahler’s music which made his death in 1894 very sad for Mahler. At von Bülow’s funeral Mahler heard a musical setting of Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock’s poem Die Auferstehung (The Resurrection), with the refrain “Rise again, yes, you shall rise again / My dust.” It struck Mahler as exactly the text he needed for the finale of his symphony.
Mahler decided to use just the first two verses of Klopstock’s poem, and then he added six more verses of his own. He also revised the orchestration of the first movement before the premiere. The finished product has five movements as follows:
Allegro maestoso
Andante moderato
In ruhig fließender Bewegung (In a calmly flowing movement)
“Urlicht” (Primal Light)
Im Tempo des Scherzos (To the tempo of a scherzo)
Mahler devised a narrative description for the work which he shared with some friends, but then later withdrew from circulation. In brief it went like this:
I. Allegro maestoso
A large movement representing a funeral which asks the question “Is there life after death?”.
Mahler marked the score Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck (With complete gravity and solemnity of expression). It is essentially a funeral march with a primary and secondary theme which are developed and recapitulated in varied form. After the movement Mahler calls for a five minute pause before the second movement, but this is rarely observed in practice today.
II. Andante moderato
The second movement is a gentle Ländler dance in A flat major. Mahler’s programme says this movement is a remembrance of happy times in the life of the deceased.
Mahler indications are Sehr gemächlich. Nie eilen. (Very leisurely. Never rush.). The movement contrasts well with the adjacent movements on either side of it.
III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung
The third movement is a scherzo in C minor. It opens dramatically with two sharp timpani strokes, followed by several softer ones and these notes set the tempo for the movement. Mahler’s programme says that this movement symbolizes the emptiness or meaninglessness of life.
The movement is based on Mahler’s setting of “Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt” (Saint Anthony of Padua Preaching to the Fish) from the Des Knaben Wunderhorn anthology. Jewish folk music themes are used, and the climax of the movement is a shattering chord marked triple forte near the end, referred to by Mahler as a “cry of despair” or a “death shriek”.
IV. “Urlicht”
Marked Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht (Very solemn, but simple) the movement is a song taken from the Wunderhorn anthology, sung by an alto. It serves as a sort of introduction to the finale. Mahler said the movement is a wish for release from the life without meaning represented by the third movement. It is a poignant and moving song filled with longing and emotion.
V. Im Tempo des Scherzos
The finale is the longest movement at over half an hour, and is divided into two large parts. The first part is instrumental and leads us through various moods, episodes, and keys as some of the material returns from other movements. We hear the horn calls which Mahler termed the “Great Summons” which transitions into the choral second part. There are also new themes introduced and repeated, as well as trumpets and percussion heard offstage. The second part begins with the entry of the chorus about halfway through. Mahler commented that the movement includes the doubts from the third movement and the questions from the first movement, but eventually gives way to music that is hopeful for a transcendent rebirth in resurrection.
The complete symphony runs between 80 and 90 minutes on average.
You can find the text and translation for movements IV. and V. at this link:
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/auferstehung-2-symphonie-resurrection-symphony-no-2.html
Mahler himself conducted the world premiere of the complete symphony on December 13, 1895 with the Berlin Philharmonic, as well as the U.S. premiere with the New York Philharmonic on December 8, 1908 at Carnegie Hall.
Recommended Recordings
Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony has fared exceedingly well on record, particularly in recent decades as Mahler has gained in popularity. As more and more young conductors feel the need to show their chops with Mahler, more recordings are released every year. But the real challenge is to get to the heart of Mahler’s musical language, and on that point it is difficult to reach a consensus on exactly what that means. There are recordings which plumb the depths, wringing every ounce of emotion and hysteria possible out of the music. On the other extreme there are recordings that exist very much on the surface, creating lovely music with excellent sound, but are rather cool interpretively and avoid emotional excesses. Of course there are some in the middle, which focus on particular moments to pull the strings, but otherwise are fairly standard interpretations. As always, it comes down to what you are looking for in a recording and what you might prefer sonically.
My own preference is for Mahler with no holds barred, where the conductor and orchestra take risks and are not afraid to go to extremes. For me, if a recording of Mahler doesn’t move me, it is not worth keeping. For better or worse, Mahler was a composer with an existential language which must be respected for the drama and emotion it evokes. Having said that, the musical structure and dynamics must survive the emotional outpouring. Recordings that are too fast or too slow lose something of the structure, either plowing right through it or losing too much thrust and momentum. So I enjoy chaotic and wild Mahler, but not completely unhinged.
I have avoided labeling any of the recordings below as “essential” for the simple reason that I could not reach a decision on which recordings are essential for this symphony, and if the decision isn’t immediately clear, then I won’t use the essential label. Nonetheless there are some outstanding recordings listed below, listed in chronological order of recording date.
German-born conductor Bruno Walter (1876 - 1962) met Gustav Mahler in Hamburg when he was still a teenager in 1894 and Walter would become not only a friend of Mahler but would become more associated with the music of Mahler than any conductor of his time. Due to their friendship and close association, Walter’s recordings have special significance. Walter’s 1957 recording of the Resurrection Symphony with the New York Philharmonic and Westminster Choir on Columbia Records (now Sony) is authoritative. Soloists are Emilia Cundari and Maureen Forrester. Walter’s approach to the symphony is more lyrical and less terrifying than some, but it is completely effective. The first movement is truly taken as a funeral march, Walter’s beat steady and pulsing. The second movement Andante is placid, sentimental, and flowing. The “Urlicht” movement is sung like a prayer by Maureen Forrester, her dark and rich alto is simply ideal for this song, and she is one of my favorites on record. Cundari’s soprano soars in the finale, and the Westminster Choir provides weighty and intelligent singing. Walter’s view of the final third of the last movement is near perfection, ethereal and dreamy, powerful but also transparent in its glory. The sound is excellent early stereo, much better than expected. A must for any Mahler lover.
I had a bit of a conundrum when it comes to Leonard Bernstein’s (d. 1990) three commercial recordings of the Resurrection (there is also a 1947 live recording with the Boston Symphony Orchestra available on streaming services). There can be no doubt Bernstein was one of the best Mahler interpreters we have had, and the Resurrection was a sort of calling card for him which he performed many times. His 1974 performance of the symphony recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra in Ely Cathedral in England (made famous now by its depiction in the 2023 movie Maestro about Bernstein) is interesting and thrilling to watch, but the audio recording from the actual concert is not great. The up close recording in the dry acoustic does not help. His last recording with the New York Philharmonic, made live for Deutsche Grammophon in 1987, is good in many ways but is hampered by being just too slow in the outer movements which negatively impacts the overall structure and impact in my opinion. That leaves Bernstein’s first recording with the New York Philharmonic and MasterVoices recorded for Columbia in 1963 with soloists Jennie Tourel and Lee Venora. Some say Bernstein’s interpretation had not matured fully at that point, but I say that is complete nonsense. The first movement is edge of the seat, frenetic, extreme, and vital; it is completely in line with Bernstein’s overall view of Mahler. Tempos are pushed and pulled (like Tennstedt below, but even more so), dynamics are strongly contrasted, and accents are underlined. Tourel is magical in “Urlicht”, and Bernstein wrings out every drop of emotion. The finale is overwhelming and unrelenting, at times pushed hard, but undeniably moving and impressive. Ultimately all three recordings are worth hearing, but it is the first which presents the most quintessential “Bernstein” Mahler.
German-born conductor Otto Klemperer (1885 - 1973) met Gustav Mahler in 1905 in Berlin at the age of 19 when Mahler was rehearsing for a performance of his Resurrection Symphony. Klemperer was given the role of conducting the off-stage band in the finale. On the basis of this meeting, Mahler scribbled a recommendation on a note card which helped Klemperer obtain a conducting position in Prague in 1907. Klemperer seemed to have an intuitive understanding of Mahler’s music, and in particular the Resurrection (I am personally very fond of Klemperer’s Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler). Klemperer’s studio recording from 1963 with the Philharmonia Orchestra is a classic and rightly praised. However, I give the edge to his 1965 live recording from Munich with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Heather Harper and Janet Baker, on the EMI/Warner label (apparently no longer on streaming services, but easily found on YouTube). The live occasion brings an extra tension and electricity to the performance, and Klemperer is more spontaneous and flexible in his direction. Harper and Baker are resplendent, the chorus is deep and resonant, and while the recording is slightly less clear than the studio version, it is still in very good sound. Klemperer’s vision of the Resurrection changed little over the years, and so the interpretation itself is virtually the same as his other recordings, but the extra feeling of a live performance raises this above the others.
Indian conductor Zubin Mehta recorded a magnificent Resurrection in 1975 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna Staatsoper in the Sofiensaal in Vienna for Decca. Soloists are the legendary Christa Ludwig and Ileana Cotrubas. This is one of the many spectacular recordings Mehta made in the 1960s and 1970s before he went to the New York Philharmonic and things went downhill for him as a recording artist. This performance is white-hot, dramatic, and electric from first to last. It is easily one of the finest recordings of this masterpiece, with rich Decca sound to boot (though the sound is a bit light in the bass end). Mehta’s tempi are brisk in the first movement, and there is an overall feeling of urgency to the entire recording. The lyrical second movement is beautifully done with the Viennese at their best. Ludwig is simply other-worldly in her gorgeous tone in the fourth movement. The Vienna State Opera Chorus is first-class here, and Mehta draws all the drama and excitement from the finale that should be there and there are spine-tingling moments. One of Mehta’s greatest achievements, and certainly one of the top choices for this epic symphony.
Music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1980 (when he assumed the job at the age of 25) to 1998, Sir Simon Rattle has recorded Mahler’s Resurrection twice, first in 1987 with the CBSO and again in 2010 with the Berlin Philharmonic. While the more recent Berlin effort is very good, it is his earlier Birmingham recording on EMI/Warner that makes the recommended list here with soloists Arleen Auger and Dame Janet Baker. Rattle’s vision here is grim and apocalyptic, and he focuses on the darker aspects of the score. The first movement shows Rattle has the complete measure of this music as he brings down terror and awe along with power in the climaxes but he also knows how to pull back when needed. The playing from the orchestra is top shelf, simply stunning, and both Baker and Auger are among the best ever recorded. The cry of disgust in the third movement is truly that, Rattle observing every detail of the score. Baker is simply the best I’ve heard in “Urlicht”, tender and poignant. The recorded sound is very good with depth and perspective, capturing all the different elements in the finale: brass, organ, tam-tam, bells, and of course the voices. I believe Mahler is the composer Rattle is most successful with in general, and this recording is a triumph.
German conductor Klaus Tennstedt (1926 - 1998) was one of the greatest Mahler interpreters in my view, and he was especially effective in his live recordings of the Mahler symphonies with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. His live recording from February 1989 on the LPO’s own label is a perfect example of his great way with Mahler. Soloists are Yvonne Kenny and Jard van Nes. The sound is not perfect, as the recording exhibits some of the typical problems experienced in the cavernous Royal Festival Hall in London, but is still quite satisfactory. The performance puts me on the edge of my seat, as Tennstedt reveals a deep understanding of the language and structure of the symphony, while also being willing to bring terror, abandon, and even extremes to the reading. The conductor, orchestra, and soloists bring an emotional charge that is quite intense and almost overwhelming. Strings are weighty and biting, even the basses and the brass are exceptionally thrilling. Tennstedt pushes and pulls the tempi to the limit, but always in a way that seems apt, the overall structure always being respected (sometimes just barely, but still). The third movement is one of best on record, with the wit and irony brought out superbly. Van Nes is beautiful in tone, and emotionally expressive. The finale is handled wonderfully with dynamic extremes emphasized and tempi broadened and accelerated as needed. Tennstedt was a genius at building the drama and tension, and he does so several times in this recording but never more so than at the huge, affirmative, and thrilling conclusion. This is riveting and absolutely compelling Mahler, and not to be missed.
Russian conductor Vladimir Jurowski recorded a fabulous Resurrection Symphony in 2009 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, released in 2011 on the LPO’s own label. Soloists are Adriana Kučerová and Christianne Stotijn. Jurowski’s opening movement is urgent and he encourages the use of rubato from the orchestra (rubato is using subtle adjustments to tempo and rhythm as the feeling of the music implies), and this is very well done. There is an agitation and unsettled quality here which Jurowski emphasizes, making it all the more satisfying when the music settles down. Phrases are lengthened when needed, but overall Jurowski uses a leaner tone than some. Contrasts are taken to extremes in the form of some sudden stops and accelerations, which I enjoy. There is a purposeful infusion of terror in the strings, and a distinctive growl in the basses. The second movement is played with tenderness and heart, although the uneasiness of impending doom lurks in the background. The third movement is projected clearly and with some abandon, the trumpets and flutes especially noteworthy. Christianne Stotijn’s lovely voice floats in from nowhere, transporting us to another world. The finale is hair-raising as it should be, and the death march is both thrilling and terrifying. There is a wonderful urgency again in the build-up to the conclusion, and an uplifting quality which lasts long after the final note. I find this recording somewhat similar in approach to Bernstein’s first recording in New York in 1963 in its directness, urgency, and visceral impact.
Other notable recordings
The list below represents my favorites of the many other recordings of this massive symphony. Even though they didn’t make the recommended list, they are all worth sampling if you have the time, and you just might find your favorites among them.
Vienna State Opera Orchestra / Hermann Scherchen (Millenium, 1959)
London Symphony Orchestra / Leopold Stokowski (BBC/Urania, 1963)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Otto Klemperer (EMI/Warner, 1963)
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Georg Solti (Decca, 1964)
Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra / William Steinberg (ica, 1965)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra / Rafael Kubelik (DG, 1969)
London Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Bernstein (Sony, 1974)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Claudio Abbado (DG, 1977)
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin (Telarc, 1983)
New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein (DG, 1987)
Dresden Staatskapelle / Bernard Haitink (Profil, 1995)
Dallas Symphony Orchestra / Andrew Litton (Delos, 1998)
Budapest Festival Orchestra / Ivan Fischer (Channel Classics, 2005)
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Pierre Boulez (DG, 2005)
London Symphony Orchestra / Valery Gergiev (LSO Live, 2008)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle (EMI/Warner, 2010)
Dusseldorf Symphony / Adam Fischer (CAVI, 2019)
Well, that brings us to the end of this post. I hope you have found it interesting or helpful in some way. I feel Mahler is an endless journey with more to discover all the time, so I know this will not be the last word on the Resurrection Symphony, not even close.
The next stop on our list is #33: Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. See you then!
____________
Notes:
Brown, Mark. The Guardian. Beethoven’s Eroica voted greatest symphony of all time. August 4, 2016.
"Des Knaben Wunderhorn". kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
Duggan, Tony. The Mahler Symphonies. A Synoptic Survey. Symphony no. 5. Musicweb-International. August 2006. Online at https://www.musicweb-international.com/Mahler/Mahler5.htm
Heyworth, Peter (1996) [1983]. Otto Klemperer: Volume 1, 1885–1933. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-52149-509-7.
Kluge, Andreas. Liner notes for Bruno Walter's recording of Mahler's Symphonies No. 1 & No.2 and Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen for Sony Classical, 1994.
Quinn, John. Recording of the Month. Mahler Symphony no. 2. LPO, Klaus Tennstedt. LPO Live. Online at musicweb-international.com.
"San Francisco Symphony – Program Notes & Articles". sfsymphony.org. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
Schonberg, Harold. The Lives of the Great Composers. 3rd Edition. Pg. 456. Norton. New York. London. 1997.
Seckerson, Edward. Mahler Symphony no. 2: Finally a Resurrection to prompt superlatives. Gramophone Magazine online at gramophone.co.uk.
Shirley, Hugo. Mahler from a New Perspective. Gramophone Magazine. August 2022. Pg. 21.
Steinberg, Michael. The Symphony. Oxford University Press. New York. Oxford. 1995.
"Symphony No. 2 in C minor (Resurrection)". Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Archived from the original on October 19, 2008.
Vernon, David. Beauty and Sadness: Mahler’s 11 Symphonies. Candle Row Press. Edinburgh. 2022.
"1895 Concert Berlin 13-12-1895 – Symphony No. 2 (Premiere)". Mahler Foundation. 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Des_Knaben_Wunderhorn
https://pacificsymphony.blog/2022/12/20/mahlers-critics-then-and-now/
https://www.quotemaster.org/Mahler