A work entitled 'Symphony I' was sketched in 1885, possibly during Mahler's time as Musical and Choral Director at the Theatre in Kassel, in which case it would have been in the first half of that year. The Andante movement, known as Blumine , certainly derives from incidental music that Mahler wrote while at Kassel to accompany a play: Der Trompeter von S ä ckingen . It is quite possible that the Scherzo may date from even earlier – a 4-hand piano fragment of this movement is known. Throughout, the symphony quotes from the song-cycle Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen , which was certainly written in 1884. Whatever the genesis of this symphony, it is clear that the main part of the composition was done in February and March 1888.

The first public performance was of a five-movement work entitled 'Symphony in Two Parts'. Part I comprised three movements: Introduction and Allegro comodo , Andante , and Scherzo ; Part II comprised two movements: Funeral March and Attacca: Molto appassionato . Mahler conducted this performance as part of the Philharmonic Society's second subscription concert of the season, which took place at the City

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