The first movement, the solemn Allegro, in C minor, instructs "concentrate and be serious and perform solemnly", expanded sonata form, titled "Funeral". This movement uses Bruckner's starting method, with the cello and double bass playing a rough and powerful fragmentary motive on the strong vibrato of the strings. Soon the first theme centered in C minor appears, led by the oboe and English horn. The first theme group is composed of two or three different themes, and the dark tone has an ominous atmosphere. Then the violins play the soft second theme in E major. When the first theme appears again, all the wind instruments play a chant-style melody. Before the exposition ends, the horns and woodwinds play a funeral march. The structure of these two theme groups is complex, so the presentation department is very large.

The development can be seen as three parts. The first section starts with the violin playing the second theme beautifully in C major, and the bass strings play the first theme motive. The drumming intensifies and then calms down. The flute plays the second theme and begins the second lyrical section. The third section reaches a climax with the strengthening of the first theme motive, reaching a climax of a chant-style melody, returning to C minor and entering the recapitulation. The recapitulation condenses and streamlines the exposition, and the two themes become obscure, but more exciting than the counterpoint of the exposition. The ending becomes a funeral march, and ends in a descending chromatic style.

Mahler once explained the first movement: "If you want to know, what I buried was the protagonist of my "First Symphony". I can see it from a higher perspective. His whole life seemed to be reflected in a spotless mirror. At this moment, it raised the crucial question: What is the purpose of your existence? Why are you suffering? Is this all just a terrible and huge prank? We all have to answer these questions in some way. And my answer is in the final movement." The second movement, Allegro Moderate, in A flat major, instructs "to be extremely relaxed and never to be hasty." Mahler regarded this movement as an interlude recalling the happy past, expressing the failed hero's love. It is the clearer part of the music in the entire symphony.

The theme of the string ensemble is a simple Landler dance (a slow waltz originated from LANDLER in southern Austria, which is the predecessor of waltz). Dele's dance music is written more delicately and beautifully. This theme is repeated three times, with two middle tunes without obvious contrasting characters inserted in between.

Mahler treated the second and third movements as interludes, memories and fantasies following the funeral. He said: "You must have had the experience of attending the funeral of someone close to you, and then, perhaps on the way home, a picture of a happy moment from long ago suddenly appeared in your mind, like a thread. The sun is bright and there are no clouds or fog, so you may almost forget what happened just now. This is the second movement." This movement is as clear as Schubert's Landler Dance, using two middle sections. In the first middle section, the horns and violins respond to subtle dynamics, in the key of G-sharp minor. After returning to A flat major, the brisk theme reappears, and the second middle section is more lively and colorful. The theme then returns with a third string pizzicato, and the woodwinds take over. The third movement, in C minor, has slow flowing dynamics and a three-part scherzo. The melody of "Saint Anthony Preaching to the Fishes" from Mahler's song collection "The Devil's Horn of Youth" is used. This song describes Saint Anthony of Patua patiently preaching to the fish for a long time on the shore of the lake, persuading them to change their greedy nature. The fish listened happily to the sermon, but then went back to chasing their own prey.

This movement is humorous and sarcastic. Mahler explained: "When you wake up from the nostalgic daydream and have to return to the hazy real life, the endless movement, the endless daily activities, the meaningless hustle and bustle, may It makes you shiver, as if you were watching the swirling crowds of people dancing in a brightly lit ballroom - and watching them in the darkness, so far away that you couldn't hear the music there. It is meaningless, just a horrible ghost world, against which you will scream with hatred and retreat!" The whole movement is composed of three sections, starting with the fourth-degree motive of the timpani and bass instruments, but immediately The first violin's flowing and bright theme appears, the middle theme is played by the French horn and trumpet, and the bass strings begin with a staccato dynamic, showing a clear melody.

The two melodies proceed three-dimensionally in a developing style. After comparison, they freely reproduce the first section, end with a fragmentary reproduction of the theme, and then end quietly and empty and lifeless. Fifth movement: Scherzo tempo, E flat major, expanded sonata form, 3/8 time (Resurrection Canticle).

Mahler’s explanation of this movement is: “The following sounds came from the wilderness: The end of mankind has arrived, and the final day of judgment is approaching. The earth shook, boulders cracked, zombies stood upright, and the world The great and the little, the kings and the beggars, the righteous and the lawless came together. The great voice came, the trumpet of revelation called, and in the terrible silence earthly life showed its last trembling gesture. . The voice of the nightingale came from afar, and the saints and gods sang, "Resurrection, resurrection, that you may be forgiven." Then the glory of God appeared, and a strange and soft light slowly penetrated our hearts. . There is no judgment, no sinners, no righteous people; no power, no humiliation, no punishment and no retribution. The almighty emotion of love purifies us to the ultimate happiness."

This movement has 3 sections, followed by the fourth movement which is played continuously. The first section indicates the scherzo tempo and is titled "The Man Calling in the Wilderness". It is equivalent to the presentation section and starts with a strong sound. The music has strong tension and bursts out with powerful sounds like a storm, deeply describing the pain and sorrow of mankind when the end of the world comes. The trombone plays the first theme, the French horn plays the second theme gently in the style of a march in C major, and the woodwind plays the third and fourth themes, among which the trombone reveals the motivation for resurrection. The second section is equivalent to the Development Department and is divided into two sections. The first paragraph is a colorful development of the counterpoint between the first theme and the third theme. It expresses tension through entanglement, and the tension enters the second paragraph calmly. The fourth theme develops in the second paragraph, and the first theme also appears at the end to set off a climax. The third section is "The Great Call", centered on the chorus. It begins with the second theme, which uses the entwining of flute and piccolo to represent the cry of the nightingale, and then begins Klopstock's hymn "Ode to the Resurrection." The choral lyrics used here are: "I am a handful of dust, after a short rest I am resurrected. God has called you, He will give you immortal life, like seeds you will be sown and bear fruit. God of Harvest Go ahead and cut down the dead like sheaves." Then the alto, the soprano, the chorus, and finally the triumphal chorus. Finally, a huge climax is formed, the horn drives other wind instruments with the second theme, and ends with a sublime sound.

When Mahler was composing this symphony and reaching the climax of the final movement, he struggled to find an ideal ending. The famous conductor Bulow passed away. He attended his funeral and heard the choir singing "Ode to the Resurrection" by the organ. He said, "The mood I felt and the death I thought about at that time were completely consistent with the spirit of the works I composed." Unanimous. Hearing Klopstock's resurrection chorus moved me like an electric shock."