THEMATIC AMBIGUITY AND RHETORICAL DISPLACEMENT IN MAHLER’S FIFTH: AN INTROVERSIVE SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF THE LANGSAM THEME FORMAL FUNCTION IN THE SCHERZO MOVEMENT

In the Scherzo movement of the Fifth Symphony, Mahler employs innovative compositional techniques that appear to diverge from Classical tradition. However, through a semiotic lens, these variations can be seen as modern extensions of Classical norms within the formal structure. Utilizing Kofi Agawu’s introversive semiotic approach (2009), which applies language models in music analysis, this paper explores how the Scherzo movement’s form adheres to the Classical rhetorical paradigm of Beginning-Middle-Ending (BME). Interpreting each formal section within the BME paradigm allows one to access the functional and hierarchical relationships between implicit, loosely connected events that still preserve the logic within the Classical ABA ternary form typical of a Scherzo. Central to this movement is the thematic ambiguity surrounding the recurrence of the Langsam theme, which contrasts with the Scherzo themes and challenges conventional sectional distribution. Traditionally analyzed as the start of a new Trio section, the Langsam theme’s initial appearance is accompanied by rhetorical signs that do not indicate a new section. Instead, a long Middle sign followed by a long Ending sign suggests thematic continuity rather than division. This thematic vs. rhetorical displacement leads to a reinterpretation of the traditional formal analysis as a simplified three-part form. The BME paradigm reflects a bottom-up approach, letting the traditional ternary form emerge out of the music rather than forcing the music into a preconceived mold. This semiotic interpretation of the Classical BME paradigm thus has the capacity to explain complex modern musical thoughts throughout the movement and the entire Fifth Symphony.