“Davidsbündlertanze” by Robert Schumann

             Robert Schumann’s work “Davidsbündlertanze” immediately put me into a mood of sadness, feeling as though I had just gone through the loss of something once very precious to me.  Frankly, it reminded me of some movies I’ve watched where the main character just lost his or her love through the death of the loved one.  Life now goes on, for this character, in an almost dreamlike existence.  It is, however, not a restful or peaceful existence.  Though not filled with agitation or a violent grief, it is still a lost existence. 

            I’ve gone through such experiences myself in the loss of someone I’ve loved.  There is a feeling of never quite finding a reason to live, yet not willing enough to give up what memories are left by giving up and dying, or killing yourself.  This work, although explicitly separated into movements, carries with it a theme that seems to mirror what one goes through when they lose a loved one.  I feel this is an important aspect of music, especially music coming from the Romantic Period.  Though separated into movements the work, I feel, should be viewed as one piece.  As such one can see how it is possible this work is Schumann’s way of expressing a particular type of life experience.

            This all comes back to the perception of music.  My perception is the result of my experiences.  It is hard for me to have a detached view of this work because of this perception. I seem to immediately get involved; relating the music to the movies I’ve seen, and to my own experiences with loves lost.  As a result I felt myself “concentrating on the aesthetic surface.” (Rowell, p. 133)

            The work picks up the tempo in the second movement, but there still seems to be an underlying sense of joylessness.  It is as though the music is trying to give the impression of a happier appearance, but cannot quite accomplish the feat.  Ultimately the music reverts back to a slower tempo.  Now, however, there seems to be a more peaceful tone to the music.

            I feel the fast, then slow, tempo of the music is extremely important in setting what I perceive to be the mood and thus the message of the movements as a whole.  The music seems to follow the feelings one has as he or she goes through the trials of life.  In growing older, hopefully wiser, and most hopefully more mature, I am more resigned to my life.  I use the word resigned to express my meaning, but feel it must be used in the context of contentment. 

I’ve had my crushing experiences in life.  As with many people, some have seemed insurmountable at the time I was going through them.  But, as I look back I can see the cycle I went through.  First, the heartbreaking experience of the loss.  Then the period where I attempted to get back into the living that was going on around me.  Often this was mere façade, since I still harbored sorrow inside.  Eventually, however, even though I still felt a part of my life was missing, I was able to get on with my life.  At this juncture I seemed to have matured.  I went through the very tough times, and somehow made it.  Life is still wonderful, although maybe a little more mellow now.  I find myself more content.

            All this I felt as I listened to these movements.  It was the tension of sadness, followed by the false bravado, and ending in the release of tension in the final movement.  The first movement expressed that deep, overpowering sorrow that comes only with the loss of a loved one.  This was followed by a break and the next movement which expressed the desire to get back into the world of the living.  Though there seems to be joy on the surface of the music, there is an underlying tempo that reminds the listener of the sorrow experienced in the first movement.

Suddenly the next movements come, and the music reverts back to the slower tempo.  This time however, there is not that sense of overwhelming sorrow.  Rather the music seems to express the feeling of contentment.  The tempo is slow, but it flows evenly, and almost merrily.  Life is joyful after all.

            Given my reaction to this composition, I felt torn with the idea of hearing the movements at a live performance.  I had to listen to the piece many times before I could even begin to get a sense of detachment.  Maybe a live performance would give me that experience.  I wish to hear it performed live with the hope that I could have a more objective reaction to the music.  Yet, I fear the possibilities of such a detached experience.  Would I like the music as much if I did not experience the emotion along with the performance?

            I also wonder what advantage there would be in knowing the history of this composition, as well as the biography of the composer.  This work, I believe, is one instance where it would be very helpful to know the history and biography.  It might answer some question I have about my own perception.  Did, for example, Schumann suffer through the loss of a loved one that may have resulted in the composition of this piece?  If so then this might justify my perception.  If not then possibly something else about his life would shed light on the mood seemingly expressed by his music.  Did he indeed seek “…to purge himself of emotion through the production of his work?”  (Rowell, p. 118)