Unity and Contrast in the Rondo-Finale of Mahlers 5

th
Symphony
Matthew Steele
Advanced Form and Analysis
Dr. Beverly Howard
April 20, 2009
Although Mahler himself described his Fifth symphony as chaotic
1
, the work is held
together through strong motivic relationships. While the introductory motives of the final
movement of the symphony seem disparate, they are all related through the prominence of the
perfect fourth interval, whether that relation is manifest or latent. This paper will examine those
relationships and also the important function of the perfect fourth interval throughout the Rondo-
Finale movement at the microcosmic level. Unfortunately, due to the brief nature of this paper
and the grand nature of Mahlers work, a comprehensive large-scale analysis will not be
attempted at this time.
An overall structural analysis of the Finale reveals a rondo form, but not one that is
normative. The movement begins with an introduction from measures 1-23 but avoids
establishing the tonic. The tonic key of D major is established in the refrain, which begins in
measure 24 and ends in measure 55. A transition beginning in measure 56 moves the tonality to
the dominant key of A major for the first episode, which lasts from measures 63-135. The refrain
returns in the tonic key of D major, but the instrumentation is filled out more in the string
section. The retransition begins in the distant key of B flat major and lasts from measures
167-176. The extensive second episode, which also seems to act as a development section due to
its length and vast harmonic and melodic explorations, then begins in measure 177 back in the
tonic key of D major. After this development comes the final refrain. However, this refrain has a
minimal instrumentation and is in the mediant key of F minor for the first half. The second half
moves to the dominant key of A major and melodies are altered to sound more like episodic
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1
Michael Steinberg, Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 5, The Symphony: A Listeners Guide
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995): 307.
material. This strange refrain is followed by an extensive coda beginning in the subdominant
key of G major, incorporating more episodic material and the triumphant climax from the second
movement of the symphony, and moving through F major and C major to finally end in D major.
This Rondo-Finale movement begins with an inchoate series of fragmentary motives each
of which is introduced by a different instrument. The first motive, which shall be designated
motive a, is introduced by the horn in measure three and is composed of a dominant half note
descending a perfect fourth to another half note and returning to the dominant. Motive b is
introduced by the bassoon in measure four and begins again on the dominant with an eighth note,
then leaps up a perfect fourth to the tonic, which is part of an eighth note run with diatonic
stepwise motion up to the dominant, repeats the dominant eighth note, leaps up a perfect fourth
again to the tonic and descends with a short, diatonic, stepwise run back to the dominant. Motive
c is introduced by the oboe in measure seven and begins on the mediant. It is composed of
quarter notes descending diatonically with stepwise motion to the tonic and leaping up a perfect
fifth to the dominant, then stepping up to the submediant, it remains there for a whole noted
before descending back to the dominant. The bassoon returns in measure ten and introduces
motive d, which begins on the dominant, descends a minor third to the mediant, steps down to
the supertonic, descends a minor third to the leading tone, returns to the supertonic all with
quarter notes, and then descends with eighth notes using diatonic stepwise motion down to the
submediant. The horn returns with a half note on the supertonic in measure thirteen and leaps up
a perfect fourth to the dominant for a half note, steps up to the submediant with a quarter note,
repeats, leaps up a perfect fourth to the supertonic with a quarter notes, repeats, descends a minor
third to the leading tone with a quarter noted, repeats and ends with a leap up to the submediant.
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By measure sixteen, Mahler begins repeating motives but in an altered form. The clarinet plays
motive c transposed up a minor third, then uses a descending neighboring tone to connect with
motive a transposed up a perfect fourth and rhythmically diminished to eighth notes. An
ascending passing tone then connects motive a to motive d transposed up a minor sixth. This
specific series occurs elsewhere in the movement and will be referred to as motive cad. The
oboe then returns with the second half of motive d rhythmically augmented to double its length.
However, because d2 appears in this second form so often in the rest of the piece independent of
d1, it will be considered as its own motive f. These seven, seemingly unrelated motives comprise
the introduction to the Rondo-Finale. This introduction, along with selected materials from
previous movements of the symphony, acts as the palette from which Mahler will take the
majority of musical material to form his episodes. Motive f, which he presents last in the
introduction, also provides a smooth transition into the first refrain that begins with f.
The introductory motives are seemingly unrelated because they are fragmentary,
discontinuous, and do not form a complete musical idea. However, they are loosely related by
their intervallic relationships. The interval of a perfect fourth is prominent in each motive,
whether readily apparent in a surface analysis or latent. The perfect fourth is given importance
by its usage in the first motive, being the only interval used in motive a. It is then the first
interval used in motive b and is also the interval between the first and highest note, with the
addition of an octave. It is also the interval between the highest and last note of that motive. In
motive c, a perfect fourth is again the interval between the first and highest notes. Motive d has
two distinct parts as is discussed above. D1 begins on the first and strongest beat of the first
measure and d2 begins on the first and strongest beat of the second measure. The interval
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between the first beat of d1 and the first beat of d2 is a perfect fourth. The intervallic range of d2
is also a perfect fourth. Motive e again begins with a perfect fourth. The second measure of e is
also a perfect fourth, as well as the interval between the last note of the second measure and the
last note of the third measure. From the first note of e to the last is also a perfect fourth, plus an
octave. When the clarinet enters combining transposed forms of motives c and a, motive a
begins a perfect fourth above where motive c begins. Finally, the oboe presents the final motive
f a perfect fourth below where the clarinet leaves off and then descends a perfect fourth to set up
the first refrain. Because of the refrains heavy usage of motive f, the perfect fourth becomes
prominent throughout the entire movement. The prominence of the perfect fourth at both a
microcosmic and macrocosmic scale in this movement indicates that the piece is more than just
a windy, uninspired stretch of note-spinning, literally scraping the barrel in search of music,
2

as Philip Barford stated in a 1960 Music Review article. Mahler was not in fact scraping the
barrel in search of music but creating a complex masterwork based on a simple idea.
The perfect fourth idea is carried into the first refrain by the horns. The refrain begins at
measure 24, moves into the transition at measure 56 and is composed of two main motives. It
begins with motive f played by the first horn and transposed down a perfect fourth. The third
horn then overlaps the first horn with another rendition of motive f transposed down a major
second plus an octave. This overlapping technique is employed throughout the refrain and
creates a sense of stretto. The transpositions of motive f in stretto also interact with a new motive
g, which acts as an antecedent to motive f and creates the sense of a complete musical idea
although it does not end on the tonic nor the dominant. Motive g can be divided into three
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2
Philip Barford. Mahler: A Thematic Archetype, Music Review 21 (1960), 297.
separate parts. G1 is composed of a quarter note anacrusis that begins on the mediant, descends
to the supertonic, then moves by stepwise motion up to the subdominant, jumps down a minor
third to the supertonic and returns to the mediant. G2 begins on the mediant and ascends by
stepwise motion up to the submediant. G3 begins on the dominant and descends by stepwise
motion to the mediant, jumps down a major third to the tonic but then steps up to the supertonic.
The g and f motives interact with increasing complexity and then get slower and overlap less in
the second half of the refrain when the final new motive h is introduced. This motive begins
with a dotted half note on the dominant, descends a step with a staccato eighth note, is followed
on the next beat by a dotted quarter note descended another step, and ends with a two eighth
notes on the supertonic separated by a descending neighbor tone. Again, in this motive the first
and last note are separated by a perfect fourth. The refrain ends with a horn line that descends a
perfect fourth from the first note to the last. The harmonic movement ends with an ascending
perfect fourth, creating an authentic cadence.
The transition begins with a descending perfect fourth in measure 56, an ascending
perfect fourth appears at the halfway point and is agogically accented in measure 59, an
ascending perfect fourth three-note arpeggio appears in the next measure and the last appearance
of the perfect fourth during the transition is accented with a sforzando in measure 61. On a
larger harmonic scale, the transition moves from the tonic to the dominant, which although is a
normative modulation, is also a perfect fourth inversion.
The first episode contains several instances of the introductory motives along with more
perfect fourth relationships. The melody begins with the violins playing an anacrusis to measure
63 and playing an ascending and descending perfect fourth while the cellos and basses
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accompany with the motivic series cad that was first performed by the clarinet in the
introduction. The melody presented by the violins is characterized by descending eighth note
runs. Each time the run repeats, it begins a perfect fourth above where it ended and this interval
is accented with a sforzando as in the transition. This accented interval occurs in measures 66,
67, and 68. This melody is then passed to the violas while the violins begin the cad motive in
measure 72. The interactions of the melody and cad motive are joined by the flutes in measure
79, which play motive h but with the alteration that the first three notes have been become an
ascending and descending perfect fourth. Motive h is then combined with motive e2 in measure
81, which increases the instances of perfect fourths. Motive d2 appears in the second violins in
measure 100 and joins the increasingly complex harmonies of the episode. After several
repetitions, transpositions, and changes of timbre, d2 is inverted in measure 116. The
appearances of motives d and f increase toward the end of the episode seemingly in order to
prepare the listener for the first return of the refrain in measure 136.
The retransition contains the same melodic material as the transition but transposed up a
minor sixth. While the cello and basses repeat the familiar passage, Mahler adds a horn line that
begins with a leap of a descending perfect fourth in measure 169 and then works back to the
original note with stepwise motion. The line then ascends another perfect fourth using stepwise
motion and incorporates the rhythmic motive of an eighth note, eighth rest and dotted half note
found at the beginning of motive h. This perfect fourth added to the beginning of h1 creates the
main motive that begins the second episode in measure 177 and will be referred to as P4h1.
The second episode, which can also be considered the development, continues the
running eighth notes in the cellos and basses now in the key of D major and the violins begin the
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P4h1 motive. P4h1 is then taken up by the horns after the key change to B major in measure 187.
As the episode progresses, P4h1 transitions from a staccato, separated line into a legato,
connected line. The motive retains its rhythmic length while also developing a tail of a
descending fourth. By measure 191 the episode has become a chamber orchestra piece with
repeating ascending perfect fourths in the cellos and basses, the running lines of the transition
and P4h1. P4h1 continues to appear in transposed fragments when the key changes to G major in
measure 253 now with woodwinds. In measure 273 the key returns the tonic D major and h
reappears in its entirety along with e following it in the oboe and clarinet parts. These motives
are also overlapped with motives a and b played one after the other in the violins. In measure
280, the key moves to the dominant A major and motive d returns in its entirety preceded by
motive a in the horn section. Motives a and d interplay with motive e and the violins play a
rhythmically augmented d in measure 286. Motive d also appears in thirds and rhythmically
augmented in the oboes and clarinets in measure 300. In measure 307 the key changes to C
major and motives a and b are used prominently. An inverted f motive appears in measure 329 in
the woodwinds. It has been rhythmically altered so that it is composed of all eighth notes. Its
prominence throughout the rest of the section is significant so it will be referred to as f
1
. The
first half of motive d makes an appearance in solo instruments in measure 336 and propels the
episode into the key of B major. In measure 349, the key changes to D flat major, then quickly
back to D major in measure 357 and h1 returns in the brass. The inverted and rhythmically
unified f
1
motive becomes more prevalent leading up to the next key change of B flat major in
measure 423. It is used as the main melodic unit and occasionally combined with h1. When the
key returns to the tonic D major in measure 441, f
1
is used in the horns while the bassoon overlap
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it with d2. This continues through the key change into A minor at measure 455. The h1 motive is
used repeatedly and rhythmically augmented to build intensity and propel the episode back into
D major at measure 479. At this point, the surface rhythm increases in tempo with running
eighth note lines in the woodwinds and strings, accented by rhythmically augmented horns and
trombones. The trumpet also adds to this motives a and b, the total effect seeming to prepare the
listener for the final return of the refrain. Mahler, however, tricks the listener and begins the
most unique section of this episode in measure 497.
At measure 497, Mahler changes from simple rhythms to compound rhythms. He uses
motives f and g rhythmically altered to fit the triplet feel and overlaps the voices creating a
stretto or fugal feel, so the listener may still think that this is an altered refrain. However, at
measure 511 Mahler interpolates a single line from the second movement into the brass section.
This, soon followed by another key change to B flat major and a new treatment of f
1
cues the
listener that the development is still continuing. An interplay of f
1
and f move the harmonic
center to C major at measure 538 where a, b, f
1
, and an inverted and intervallically expanded g
motive are used. The rhythm of h is also used but with a different melodic line. All these
elements build on each other while the use of f increases both in instrumentation and frequency
until the episode finally transitions to the final refrain in measure 581.
This refrain, while it uses the same motives as the original, they do not overlap as
frequently nor are found in as many instruments. Also, they have been transposed to fit the key
of F minor. In measure 592, the instrumentation is reduced further and the dynamics are
subdued, while the key moves to A major. This refrain is deviant from the others most notably
because of the harmonic relationships and also exemplifies why the piece as a whole is not a
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normative rondo form. Furthermore, when the refrain moves to the coda in measure 623, the
coda begins in the key of G major.
The coda is another extensive section that moves through the keys of G major, F major, C
major, and D major. It incorporates all of the introductory motives along with such variations as
f
1
and P4h1. It also contains a reappearance and expansion of the triumphant climax from the
second movement of the symphony from measure 731-745 before rushing to a quick end.
This paper has examined and identified the relationships between the six major sections
of the final movement of Mahlers Fifth symphony based solely on intervallic and motivic
similarities. It has demonstrated how most of the melodic materials in all the movements have
their origins in the original eight motives introduced in the beginning of the movement and the
first refrain. It has also demonstrated how the introductory motives are related to each other
through the significance of the perfect fourth interval and how that interval is used many times in
the variations of the motives. In this extensive 791 measure, fifteen minute long Rondo-Finale,
Mahler has used a relatively small amount of melodic material to make each section familiar to
the listener. However, he has also used melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, dynamic and timbre
variations to make each section unique and to hold the listeners attention, even presenting a
refreshing and emotionally fulfilling motive from a previous movement to increase satisfaction
and develop a sense of unity within the entire symphony.
Unfortunately, there is neither enough room nor enough time for this paper to explore the
larger formal relationships that exist in this movement and to relate the larger sections to each
other and the rest of the symphony. However, now that the minute relationships between the
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motives and their appearances in each section have been identified, this paper can be used to
launch Part II for the greater analysis of this work.
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