The Ninth Symphony (1909-10) of Gustav Mahler has been surrounded by the mythology of its purported program. As a "last” work, many have interpreted the symphony to be Mahler's final message to the world, one that ends in death. But there is much more to this symphony than just death and saying goodbye. The symphony is also filled with forceful exuberance, gaiety, and a peaceful nostalgia for youth. At other moments it is bitter and cynical, or filled with cackling, wicked humor. But above all, it is infused with an overriding message of love. By the end there is peace and, at last, resignation.

Mahler did not live to see his Ninth performed—nor did he hear its predecessor, the unparalleled Das Lied von der Erde. A Tenth Symphony was sketched out, halfway orchestrated, but left unfinished. Together these three works constitute a musical triptych, each in their own way expressing both a love for life, for nature, and for music.

The Ninth, along with Das Lied von der Erde and the Tenth, are exemplary of Mahler's "Late Style." Musical ideas are often fragmented, the texture is heavy in counterpoint, and the harmonic language is at times on the brink of tonal collapse. While the moment-to-moment drama of the Ninth may be very direct, the coherence of the musical structure is obscured. The overwhelming amount of thematic material and the various structures of each movement combine in complex ways that show how the music is connected both within itself and also through broader forms. Setting aside any notions of whatever program the work may convey we can gain an understanding of how the symphony delivers its musical message.