The Purgatorio movement (originally entitled Purgatorio oder Inferno (Purgatory or Hell)) but the word “Inferno” was struck out, is a brief vignette presenting a struggle between alternately bleak and carefree melodies with a perpetuum mobile accompaniment, that are soon subverted by a diabolical undercurrent of more cynical music.

The short movement fails to end in limbo though, as after a brief recapitulation a sudden harp arpeggio and gong stroke pull the rug out from under it; it is consigned to perdition by a final grim utterance from the double basses.

“Purgatorio oder Inferno“. 

On the title page of the short score. The title page was cut in two with scissors or a razor blade. The word “Pergatorio” might have been suggested to Mahler by the identical title of a set of poems by Siegfried Lipiner (1856-1911). Because Alma had always disliked him she would have destroyed Mahler’s reference to him. However, the word “Purgatorio” was very appropriate, considering Mahler’s present ordeal.

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A listening guide of Symphony No. 10 - 3rd Movement with Lew Smoley