I think Bruckner is far from Mahler, nor Sibelius nor even Williams. I go more to R. Strauss and Shostikovich. Mayhap even Stravinski. It is so hard to associate near and kindred. He did not get the deserved exposure in his time. Bernstein did a lot for his legacy.
And come to think of it, you ask an odd sort of question, or at least unlikely. To me it is hard to have the sensibility to appreciate Mahler, but it is almost as if you somehow tripped over him by chance. I am really puzzled. Although I loved him at first listen, I wonder why you pick 3&5 (see, odd again ;-) rather than, say his 8th. Most interesting Rtn1.
And come to think of it, you ask an odd sort of question, or at least unlikely. To me it is hard to have the sensibility to appreciate Mahler, but it is almost as if you somehow tripped over him by chance. I am really puzzled. Although I loved him at first listen, I wonder why you pick 3&5 (see, odd again ;-) rather than, say his 8th. Most interesting Rtn1.