After Bartók's long-lasting depression following his participation in the Rubinstein Competition in Paris in 1906, he decided to embark on a great journey around rural Romania and Hungary, where he found great inspiration from peasant songs.
Many compositions from this period were either largely based on peasant and folk music or made from scratch trying to resemble folk music, as can be seen in other sets such as Three Hungarian Folktunes, Four Dirges, Ten Easy Pieces, and Fourteen Bagatelles.
The movement list is as follows: The term burlesque, used as the title for the pieces in this set, is meant to mean short, lively pieces used as pantomimes, since the term was originally used in literature and theater.
Here, social conventions and customs are meant to be exaggerated and parodied, That is, scenes that reflect human vicissitudes, both pleasant and unpleasant.
[1] Therefore, the harmonies in this piece are very dissonant and the rhythmic patterns are also jokingly lively.