Gustav Mahler wrote his Symphony no. 5 between 1901 and 1902. It was first published in 1904, with further revisions appearing in print in 1905, 1911, 1964, and 2001. Given that it starts in one key and finishes in other, and due to the unorthodox distribution of the movements, Mahler spoke against using the key in the title. The symphony consists of five movements which make up three parts and, even though it is a complex work, it has come to be Mahler's most popular one, with the Adagietto (arguably Mahler's most popular composition) sometimes played as a standalone piece by many orchestras. The score calls for a very large orchestra of 4 flutes (all 4 with capability of playing piccolo), 3 oboes (3rd doubling English horn), 3 clarinets in B flat and A (3rd doubling clarinet in D and bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon), 6 horns in F, 4 trumpets in B-flat and F, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tam-tam, whip, glockenspiel, and strings. A standard performance lasts around 70 minutes.
Gustav Mahler wrote his Symphony no. 5 between 1901 and 1902. It was first published in 1904, with further revisions appearing in print in 1905, 1911, 1964, and 2001. Given that it starts in one key and finishes in other, and due to the unorthodox distribution of the movements, Mahler spoke against using the key in the title. The symphony consists of five movements which make up three parts and, even though it is a complex work, it has come to be Mahler's most popular one, with the Adagietto (arguably Mahler's most popular composition) sometimes played as a standalone piece by many orchestras. The score calls for a very large orchestra of 4 flutes (all 4 with capability of playing piccolo), 3 oboes (3rd doubling English horn), 3 clarinets in B flat and A (3rd doubling clarinet in D and bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon), 6 horns in F, 4 trumpets in B-flat and F, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tam-tam, whip, glockenspiel, and strings. A standard performance lasts around 70 minutes.