Mahler's Ambivalence toward the Andante of his Second Symphony and its Impetus behind the Evolution of the Symphony's Program.
John R. Palmer

Abstract
Mahler was unsatisfied with the Andante moderato of the Second Symphony, even years before completing the five-movement work. His dissatisfaction manifested itself in his changing the movement order multiple times and in leaving the Andante out of the finale's web of thematic references to the symphony's other movements. Relatively speedy publication of the piece cemented the Andante's position, and the composer's only option was programmatic—working the Andante into a scenario he developed for the entire symphony. Mahler's program is arguably a response to his, and others', perceptions of discrepancies in the symphony, and the evolving text points to justifying the Andante's presence.

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