Despite the symphonic nature of the work, Mahler refused to number it, hoping thereby to escape the "curse of the Ninth Symphony" that he believed had affected fellow-composers Beethoven, Schubert and Bruckner.
A pesar da natureza sinfónica da obra, Mahler renunciou a numerala, esperando escapar da "maldición da novena sinfonía" que pensaba que afectara aos seus compañeiros compositores Beethoven, Schubert e Bruckner.