Having founded the “Neue Zeitschrift für Musik” (new music magazine) in 1834, and went to work, with a pen as sharp as it was poetic, to criticize and show the great deficiencies, abuses and lack of talent prevalent in his day. , Schumann gathered around him men as collaborators, who shared his opinion, and gave them the name of “Davidsbündler” (Confederates of David), being his objective (similar to that of David who fought against the Philistines), to fight against ignorance and arrogance. .
Writing to Dorn in 1836, he said: “The ‘Davidsbündlers’ are but an intellectual and romantic confederation … Mozart was a great ally like Berlioz now.” Each “Bündler” (Confederate) signed his code; and Schumann himself, who, as we know, divided his musical being into two parts: one assuming the soft, gentle, sensitive nature and form of an Eusebius, the other, that of the powerful, fiery Florestan, wrote his offensive and defensive articles on music, signed by Florestan or Eusebio, depending on their tenor. “” Florestan and Euseb “represent my double nature, which as Rare, I would like to mold and fuse into one man”.
The mystification of the public by Schumann, the author, was continued by him as a composer. Strictly speaking, most of his piano compositions up to the Faschingsschwank (op. 26) of 1839 can be called Davidsbündler compositions; for, in these, Schumann renounced the established form and language of music, bound by rules and fostered by the average talent of those days; he created a kind of romantic piano music, at first, not understood by all. In 1836 he published the great and revolutionary sonata in F minor op. 11, with the disconcerting title: “Dedicated to Clara by Florestan and Eusebio”, like the “Dances of Davidsbündler” op. 6 (1837), which, as the letters show, are not “Bündler’s Contests”, but thoughts of nuptial eve and wedding day set to music. The allusions, referred directly or indirectly to the ideal object of his efforts, embodied in musical quotes or poetic slogans, are also contained in his “Symphonic Studies”, op. 13 (1838), in his “Faschingsschwank” (Carnival joke), op. 26, introducing the “Grossvatertanz” (Grandfather’s Dance), which had already appeared as a quote at the end of “Papillons” (Butterflies) op. 2 (1829/31).
To this day, we feel the effect and influence of these compositions as “Davidsbündler” music, in the sense and spirit infused by their author: the audacity and power of their genius character, the freshness and novelty of their topics; Last but not least, Schumann’s style of romantic piano composition that mixes extreme contrasts with wonderful and perfect art, in a peculiarly his own way.