Gustav Mahler's nine completed symphonies and the last, unfinished 10^th symphony are among the most frequently performed works of this genre in contemporary musical life. Peter Revers, one of the most distinguished experts on Mahler's oeuvre, presents a lucid introduction to this core of his compositions. He shows the contemporary influences on Mahler's symphonic work, illuminates its position in the composer's oeuvre, describes the process of its creation and then presents it in detail, work by work.