Parallels of Brahms 1st Symphony with Mahler 2nd Symphony

[waderice]

I've started this topic to get reactions (positive, negative, or indifferent) from forum members to what I've noted for years, are seemingly mood parallels of Brahms's First Symphony with Mahler's Second Symphony.  The major difference is that Brahms sticks strictly with classic style, whereas Mahler breaks with all compositional convention to convey what it is that has each man's respective soul in conflict.  An amazing coincidence is that both works are in the key of C minor.  Here is my analysis:

1st Movement - Right at the start, Brahms introduces us to some sort of a spiritual struggle he is having, as does Mahler in his own work, though Brahms doesn't give us any program as Mahler does for his entire Second Symphony.  This stormy mood pervades throughout the entire first movement of both men's works.
2nd Movement - Both men have composed a serene second movement interlude after the storminess of the first movement of both of their works.  So far, so good.
3rd Movement - Here, the differences seem to become evident.  Mahler returns to a sardonic mood and regresses somewhat to the storminess toward the end of his scherzo movement, whereas Brahms' mood is still somewhat serene, like that of his second movement.
Following their third movements is a major departure:  Mahler has an interlude movement before his heaven-storming finale, a Wunderhorn song, whereas Brahms sticks with classical convention, making the 4th movement his finale.
4th Movement (Brahms)/5th Movement (Mahler) - Both men seem to share a doubting mood or incredulous faith at the start of both their finales, though Brahms does not invoke the Dies Irae on a mammoth and extended scale as does Mahler.  Brahms' mood change occurs at the start of the horn solo, and he then introduces the famous hymn-like tune in the violins and violas after the first horn has had his glorious solo moment.  We obviously know that Mahler's mood change takes considerably longer, even after the chorus has entered with the Klopstock Aufferstehung hymn.  Eventually, each man concludes his symphony equally triumphant, in the compositional style that they have chosen to convey either an entirely new or renewed faith.

Lastly, both works are similar in that they took considerable amounts of time in the minds of each man to take form.

Wade