Symphony no. 2 “Resurrection”
The Symphony No. 2 in C minor by Gustav Mahler, also known as the Resurrection Symphony, was written between 1888 and 1894, and first performed in 1895. This symphony was one of Mahler's most popular and successful works during his lifetime. In this large work, the composer further developed the creativity of "sound of the distance" and creating a "world of its own", aspects already seen in his First Symphony. The work is usually performed at a duration of 80 to 90 minutes, and is conventionally labelled as being in the key of C minor; the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians labels the work's tonality as C minor–E♭ major. It was voted the fifth-greatest symphony of all time in a survey of conductors carried out by the BBC Music Magazine.
Movements
- Symphony no. 2 in C minor "Resurrection": I. Allegro maestoso
- Symphony no. 2 in C minor "Resurrection": II. Andante moderato
- Symphony no. 2 in C minor "Resurrection": III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung
- Symphony no. 2 in C minor "Resurrection": IV. Urlicht. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht
- Symphony no. 2 in C minor "Resurrection": V. Im Tempo des Scherzos. Wild herausfahrend
Recommended recordings
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra · Claudio Abbado YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
- New York Philharmonic · Leonard Bernstein YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
Most recent recordings
- Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" — Gustav Mahler, Orchestre National De France, Cristian Măcelaru, Choeur de Radio France (2026) Spotify
- Mahler Symphony No. 2 in C Minor "Resurrection" — Gustav Mahler, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Esa-Pekka Salonen (2026) Spotify
New releases via Spotify — surfaced automatically, not editorial picks.