Davidsbündlertänze

The “Davidsbund” – a group of artists who had joined forces in a revolutionary struggle against the backward structures in the artistic world, amongst whose members he counted both real and imaginary people – only existed in Schumann’s imagination. He published the first edition of his “Davidstänze” under the pseudonym “Florestan and Eusebius” – the two characters that represented contrasting (impetuous and gentle) aspects of his own self. Clara Wieck, to whom he unsuccessfully proposed several times whilst writing it, is also represented; “more than anything” he dedicated these dances to her. These short, extremely diverse tone pictures afford us an intimate insight into Schumann’s emotional state at the time.