Rotational Form, Thematic Interplay, and Narrative Trajectory in the Scherzo Movement from Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony

My laptop, Mahler score, and coffee - all essential in bringing this paper to life!

Rotational Form, Thematic Interplay, and Narrative Trajectory in the Scherzo Movement from Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony - written by Juan Riveros.

I recently wrote this paper for my Mahler Seminar at Case Western University. Although this is what I submitted, I consider it my first draft of the paper, as I hope to dig into more elements of phrase structure, thematic contour, and the narrative outside of this movement. I am hoping to revise this version and submit a stronger paper for my PhD applications, but wanted to share some of this work as it develops.

I am in the midst of applying to PhD programs for music theory, and this is one of four works that I am working on (hence the long break in posts on Insights - I have been juggling too many things to stick to my original plan of posting on a weekly basis). I found myself deeply enjoying the analytical process and development of ideas as I dug into this paper. I chose this topic as a result of the lectures viewing the symphonies in a unique lens - through rotational form. I flesh out this idea more in the paper, but viewing formal structures in a rotational, cyclical form rather than purely sonata or scherzo forms allows the listener and interpreter to experience Mahler’s music in a unique light.

Click here to download and read the paper!

Thank you all - more to come soon!