attempt to pull up my analysis socks.

I am listening to Mahler. He always makes me feel confused-- almost like a Mozart, as if I am stuck between emotions, tumultuous and over-high, enjoyed. Why does a man with so much sorrow write such happy sounding music? 

The retrospective parts are pretentious. Cellos wail as if romanticizing themselves. 

Ahh, but the bassoons are having a time of it, they seem to fit with this forced-archaic sound of Mahler's. What I like is the sleigh-bells, the eastern european sounding theme in minor which, following a four note so la ti do hoovvveeerrsss... then drops into a major part. Mahler is too confusing to follow! This is post-romantic avant-garde!

(failure)