First performance on October 18, 1904 in Cologne conducted by Gustav Mahler

1. Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt
2. Stürmisch bewegt, mit größter Vehemenz
3. Scherzo. Kräftig, nicht zu schnell
4. Adagietto. Sehr langsam
5. Rondo-Finale. Allegro

By composing the Fifth Symphony, Mahler enters a new creative period which the musicologists often call the "middle period"; although this point of view is not undisputed at all in the world of classical music, I as a Mahler fan nevertheless adopt it. Technically, the three symphonies nos. 5, 6 and 7 have in common - contrarily to the first four symphonies - that there are no programmatic indications, that Mahler renounces on the human voice and that he uses the counterpoint in a remarkable way.
In 1901, Mahler started to work over the Fifth Symphony and accomplished it in the summer of 1902. For the posterity, there are not recognizable any exterior circonstances in his life to find out the reason for his new artistic orientation particularly since the character of the Fifth is rather gloomy, sad and melancholy while Mahler's life, at the same time as a new century had begun, had reached its zenith: His creative power was as great as never, he was director of the Vienna Opera at its heyday, still respected by nearly everybody, as composer he was of more reputation than ever, his works were played still more often, and in his private life things went better than ever since he had married Alma Schindler in 1902 (which he knew only after having started to compose the Fifth Symphony) and got a little daugther, Maria Anna.

One of those who doubt the traditional classification of a "middle period" is Yasuhiko Mori:

A close examination of the features of the Fifth Symphony indicates that the work is by no means as far removed as was once thought from the world of the Fourth Symphony. It is thus not a foregone conclusion that the Fifth Symphony can be linked up to form a unit with the succeeding two symphonies. The fact that Mahler, from the Fifth Symphony onwards, ceased to provide programmatic commentaries to his works is connected with the structure of the works themselves. In the same manner as the Fourth Symphony, whose last movement is based on an already existing song, the Fifth Symphony as a whole is orientated towards the Finale, in consequence of which Mahler achieves a planned and logically conceived structure which can be fully appreciated without the need for any verbal explanation. Put differently, the symphony as a whole is generated from and aims towards the chorale which constitutes the final climax of the work. Looked at from the vantage point of the end of the work, the fifth movement, which is put together on the basis of motifs from this chorale and involves a process of the gradual unfurling of the chorale, together with the fourth movement, which has the function of presenting one of the accessory themes of the Finale, constitute Part III of the work, and a veiled premonition of the chorale is presented in the second movement, which occupies central place in Part I.
However, the Fifth Symphony is not totally unconnected with vocal music: as has often been pointed out, it contains many clear similarities with songs composed either before or around this time. The cadential figure of the first theme of the first movement is related to the first song of the Kindertotenlieder, and the fourth movement as a whole has strong links with the song Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen from the Rückertlieder. Finally, the motif played by the first bassoon at the beginning of the last movement and which thereafter has a central position throughout the movement had already been used by Mahler in the song Lob des hohen Verstandes from Des Knaben Wunderhorn. In addition to such exact correspondences, there are many passages throughout the Fifth Symphony which hint at Mahler songs, and it is clear that, despite the absence of singers, there has been in this work no sudden slackening of the bonds linking songs and symphony in the characteristic Mahlerian manner.

After the Fourth Symphony which I described as rather "being a cheerful and pleasant interlude between two grandiose cycles", the Fifth again reaches the monumental "Mahlerian" dimensions. Just like the Third Symphony, the Fifth again is divided in parts, this time it consists of three parts of which one is formed by a single movement, but otherwise than in the Third, it is not the first but the third movement, an outsized Scherzo which in a certain sense is the main and central part flanked by the preceding and the following part both consisting of two movements.

The both first movements are in the tragic and gloomy keys of c-sharp minor resp. a minor; The only programmatic indication, Trauermarsch (funeral march), is found in the first movement. The silence is broken by the solitary fanfare of a trumpet which is one of the three main themes of this movement. Out of this comes the melancholy and heavy funeral march dominated by the strings; the woodwind players introduce the third theme in the key of a flat major thus lighting up the gloom in a charming way, but the calmly flowing motion, after other rapid fanfares, is suddenly interrupted by a wild and dramatic interlude. The returning to the second theme is followed by a reedition of the charming third theme this time in the key of b flat minor. Another interlude in a minor follows hinting the theme of the second movement and ends in a desperate climax. The dramatic and exciting movement is closed by a solitary trumpet signal and its flute echo, the final point is set by a single pizzicato tone of cellos and basses.

The second movement starts tumultuously and pushing forward in the key of a minor before gliding in a beautiful calm and cantabile theme in the key of f minor "in the rhythm of the funeral march" accompanied by lamentations of the wind instruments reminding on short fanfares. After the tumultuous returning to the key of a minor follows a short and melancholy interlude of cellos and bass drums, thereafter the reprise and development of the principal themes in an alternating game of chaotic tumults torn by inner conflicts and charming, lovely passages. The still further pushing chaos finally leads to a relieving and brightly shining D major becoming stronger and stronger until its absolute climax but apparently for no reason it softly dies down, returns a while to a chaos in the key of F major before finally ebbing away in the key of a minor.

As second part of the symphony follows the above mentioned third movement, the Scherzo. Totally unexpected, the character of the symphony seems to change: A joyful and exuberant, nearly burlesque atmosphere, caused by the typical Mahlerian rural valses, seems to spread, but it does not seem being serious, rather forced, nearly exaggerated, as if one tries to chase away a depression by artificial cheerfulness, to turn towards life full of force and energy in order not having to listen to the inner tragic. The irony which often can be found in Mahler's other Scherzi is completely missing, instead tragic sighs of the wind instruments are heard among the valses over and over again, the joyful motion is interrupted by phases of deep thoughtfulness where wistful wind phrases imitate each other like echoes. In a sharp and vehement ending, the Scherzo stops abruptly.

The third part of the symphony starts with the fourth movement, a tender Adagietto, one of the most intimate compositions of Mahler and certainly therefore one of the most famous, but also because Visconti used it in his film Death in Venice. After the rather trivial Scherzo, we encounter emotion and sensuality, it is pure poetry transformed into music. One feels that after the Scherzo, there was a rupture out of which a new start arises and thus the Adagietto becomes the prelude of the last movement. The orchestration is in no way inferior to the tenderness of the composition divided in three parts: Strings are exclusively used to play a clear and longing tune accompanied by a harp playing in a way the role of a Basso Continuo. In the middle part, a bit more vivid, where the harp is missing, the accessory theme of the Finale is introduced. After the Glissando of the culminating point, the harp returns and the yearning tune reaches its highest emotion before the Adagietto softly dies away.
The expressive tenderness and romance of this movement claim especially a strict and restrained interpretation in order to put into value the beauty of this music without getting mawkish. Unfortunately, not all orchestras are able (or willing?) to do so.

Finally, the fifth movement is amazing; a long and continued tone of the F horn gives the signal to return to reality and cheerfulness. The gloomy atmosphere of the first two movements is blown away, the tender romance of the fourth movement is left behind. Serene calmness reigns, an exuberant Allegro romps around from one key to the other as if the depressions of before had never existed. True joy of life rules again, rising to new heights still higher until the grandiose, brightly shining climax in the key of D major. We are back to life again!