Let us now consider the full third movement of this symphony. The song above appears within the movement very much as it does in the song cycle.

The movement overall depicts a funeral march. It begins with the familiar tune of Frère Jacques in a minor key played as a round. Over this Mahler provides a dotted-rhythm slow march melody and the steady footfall of the timpani.

There follows a section of Jewish Klezmer music, perhaps Mahler’s most vivid depiction of his Jewish roots.

The peaceful song from Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen contains notes of sorrow (just as within the song itself) with slight dissonances and shifts to the minor key.

While these elements are featured within clearly delineated sections, they also combine in various ways throughout the movement. This pastiche of moods and contradictory emotions is typical of Mahler. Profound feelings may be expressed with naivety. And what is more human than the mixture of love and sorrow?

How does Mahler accomplish this? He does it in part with a new approach to the orchestra. He needs a large orchestra for the loud and bold sounds that frequently characterize his works. But more than that, he needs a greater number of players for the incredible variety of sounds and textures that he creates. 

Notice as you listen how sparingly Mahler uses his resources and how the texture is frequently so transparent. He uses solo instruments and pairs of instruments in unusual combinations. A single line may be passed in short order from the color of one instrument to another and still another. His technique is sometimes described as chamber music for orchestra.

The large forces and descriptions like “Symphony of a Thousand” (Symphony No. 8) mask the intimacy of song and solo instruments.