The 18 dances of Franz Schubert's Op. 33—16 German Dances, and two écossaises (Scottish Dances), now better known as D. 783—were written at various times during 1823 and 1824; the bulk of the work was probably done in July of the latter year. A good set of light Viennese dances (waltzes, Ländler, or German) was something dear to Schubert's heart: though he did not himself dance very often, he was always more than willing to play music for his party-loving friends. And when he himself sat down to pen such sets, as he did quite often throughout the years, it seems to have been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. (Of course, there was the added incentive of publishers' eagerness to purchase such musical trifles; Op. 33 was issued in 1825.) This enjoyment shines on the surface of these dances, making for a wonderful quarter-hour's entertainment on dance floor or in concert hall.

The German dances of Op. 33 are to be played as one long dance. Each of the 16 individual numbers is cast in two halves, each repeated. Schubert balances character and texture perfectly over the course of the set of 16. The hardy octaves and robust bass leaps of No. 1 give way to a nostalgic pianissimo in No. 2. Fingers fly up the keyboard in the upbeat scales of No. 4, its high-spirited rhythms a sharp contrast with the steady eighth-note legato of the following number. No. 7, marked "mit erhobener Dämpfung" (with pedal) is like an echo from some ball long past, No. 12 like something a music box might play. The final German dance, No. 16, is in a jolly F major, and is no longer than any of the rest.

The 2/4 meter of the two écossaises is, after the lively triple meter of the German dances, staid and good-naturedly pompous.

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