Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze Op. 6 & Intermezzi Op. 4

Featuring

Claire Désert
Robert Schumann

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Compositional Technique

The Davidsbündlertänze feature Schumann's alter egos, Eusebius (tender and dreamy) and Florestan (passionate and fiery), with each piece originally signed by their initials or both.

Composition History

The Davidsbündlertänze, written in 1837, were inspired by Schumann's intense struggle to marry Clara Wieck, the daughter of his teacher, against her father's strong opposition.

Performer Biography

Claire Désert, the pianist on this album, entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris at just 14 years old and later studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded in June 2005 at the Salle de l'Horloge in Gramat, Lot, France.

Compositional Technique

Schumann's Intermezzi Op. 4, composed at age 22, are noted for their pianistic innovations, including tempo oscillations, syncopated rhythms, and contrasting episodes.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Schumann founded a musical criticism journal, the Neue Leipziger Zeitschrift für Musik, and a brotherhood called the Davidsbündler, named after King David, to fight against musical 'Philistines'—reactionary critics and audiences hostile to innovation.