Instrumentation

As is usual practice for Mahler, the symphony is written for large orchestral forces consisting of the following:
;Woodwinds:
4 Flutes (flutes 3, 4 doubling on Piccolos) (Flutes 1, 2 also doubling Piccolos at some passages at movements 1, 3, 5)

4 Oboes (Ob. 4 doubling Cor anglais)
3 Clarinets in B-flat, A (Cl. 3 doubling Bass Clarinet)
2 E-flat clarinets (E-flat Cl. 2 doubling B-flat Cl. 4)
4 Bassoons (Bsn. 4 doubling Contrabassoon)
;Brass:
8 Horns in F
4 Trumpets in F, B-flat
4 Trombones
Tuba
;Percussion:
Timpani, 2 players
Bass Drum
Snare Drum (used only at movement 1)

Cymbals
Tambourine
Tam-tam
Triangle
Rute or "Switch" (used only at movement 2)

2 Glockenspiels (2nd Glockenspiel: used only at movement 5)

;Voices (on stage):
Alto solo (used in fourth and fifth movements)

;"Offstage":
Post horn in B-flat (sometimes substituted by a Flugelhorn) (used in third movement)

Several Snare Drums (used in first movement)

"On a high gallery" (used only at movement 5)
6 Tuned Bells (or Tubular Bells)
Women's Choir
Boys' Choir
;Strings
2 harps
"Very large complements of all strings":
Violins I, II
Violas
Violoncellos
Double basses (With low C string)