This work is a collection of pieces composed in 1913, along with earlier studies and their revisions. A general characteristic of the collection is the use of classical forms and styles from the 17th and 18th centuries, with the exception of the sixth piece, "Legend". The addition of intentional distortions in melody and harmony (which Prokofiev scholars often refer to as "Wrong Note") creates a strange sense of unity throughout the collection, despite the pieces being composed at different times. Soviet musicologist Derisohn described this blend of tradition and innovation as "newness based on tradition," while Nestyev stated that it "distinguished itself from the pedantic 'neoclassicism' popular in Western Europe in the 1920s" and "sought to express new, 'contemporary' content in archaic forms." Nestyev also pointed out that the style Prokofiev would later adopt in his subsequent works, particularly Symphony No. 1 (the "Classical Symphony") and his ballet music, was already present in this collection.

No. 1 March (Allegro, F minor)

The brisk yet somewhat whimsical opening musical idea is based on the "March" composed in May 1906 and included as No. 6 in the fifth volume of his childhood collection, Little Songs. This piece underwent significant additions and revisions, including the introduction of a new secondary theme, employing a more mature compositional technique. Incidentally, Prokofiev composed numerous marches in his childhood, including the original version of this piece; Soviet musicologist Derisohn attributes this to the widespread performance of military music to boost morale during the Russo-Japanese War. Overall, the march style is adhered to through dotted notes and a regular duple meter, but the frequent use of abrupt modulations and dissonances creates a grotesque atmosphere characteristic of Prokofiev.

Like the original 1906 march, it is dedicated to his close friend, Vasily Mitrofanovich Morolyov (1880–1949), a veterinarian with whom he maintained a friendship for over 40 years since childhood.

No. 2 Gavotte (Allegretto, G minor)

According to Prokofiev himself, this piece is an arrangement of a gavotte he wrote in Lyadov's class in 1908. The balanced and restrained main section embodies classical beauty, and Prokofiev's skill is fully displayed in the nuances created by the ornaments and harmonic colors. In the trio, it modulates to G major, presenting a somewhat calmer musical idea, but the chromatic progression in the inner voices casts a shadow over the music.

Dedicated to his fellow student and pianist, "Bolyusha" Boris Stepanovich Zakharov (1887–1943), who later visited Japan and eventually taught at the Shanghai Conservatory.

No. 3 Rigaudon (Vivace, C major)

The Rigaudon is a lively Provençal folk dance in duple or quadruple meter that was popular from the 17th to 18th centuries (later danced at balls and on stage). In the main section, the first and third beats of the quadruple meter are emphasized. In contrast, in the humorous middle section presented pianissimo, this accent pattern is inverted, and the even beats are emphasized, creating a peculiar impression. Also characteristic are the somewhat out-of-tune melodic leaps and non-functional harmonic progressions.

Dedicated to "Fyaka" Nina Alekseevna Meshcherskaya (1895–1981), the composer's lover in his youth.

No. 4 Mazurka (Capriccioso, B major)

A piece that truly showcases the modernist Prokofiev. While the characteristic mazurka rhythm and formal sense, with emphasis on the second and third beats, are utilized, the melody and accompaniment, largely dominated by parallel fourths, are far removed from the sound of traditional dance music. Furthermore, although the overall texture remains largely unchanged, the musical ideas vary subtly, with diverse indications such as "animato," "tranquillo," and "brilliant." The novel sound of this piece seems to have caused controversy from its initial publication; even the composer's close friend Asafyev condemned it as "the folly of a spoiled youth who flaunts audacity against the precepts of standard musical taste" (from Music magazine, No. 209, 1915).

Dedicated to his fellow student at the conservatory and lifelong friend, the composer Myaskovsky.

No. 5 Capriccio (Allegretto capricciosamente, G major)

A somewhat large-scale piece with an A-B-A-C-B-A-C-B-A structure. Section A is divided into a first part with a smooth melody and a second part characterized by parallel thirds and disjunct motion. In section B, a humorous melody with a wide range is played by the left hand. Percussive dotted notes provide accents. In section C, three contrapuntal voices, each with a different rhythm, are intricately played over a chordal accompaniment.

Dedicated to "Talya," Natalya Alekseevna Meshcherskaya, sister of the dedicatee of No. 3.

No. 6 Legend (Andantino, F major)

Among a collection of generally brisk and lively pieces, this short work particularly shines with its rich and delicate harmonic vocabulary and the lyrical aspect of Prokofiev's music. In the main section, marked "Semplice (simply)," the opening with parallel fifths and unusual harmonic progressions quietly resolves in the final measure of the section marked "Adagio." Despite being a short piece, the agogics are highly flexible, with detailed indications causing the tempo to expand and contract in various ways.

No. 7 Prelude (Vivo e delicato, C major)

Bears the subtitle "Harp." Dedicated to his fellow student and harpist, Eleonora Aleksandrovna Damskaya; a harp version written by Prokofiev himself for her to perform also exists. The truly harp-like accompaniment in the main section, consisting of right-hand sixteenth-note arpeggios, is rapid yet smooth, creating a calm and cheerful atmosphere for the piece. In the middle section, the mood shifts to a whimsical one with staccatos and glissandos, but as indicated by "Delicatissimo (extremely delicately)," the gracefulness of the main section is not lost.

No. 8 Allemande (Allegro risoluto, F-sharp minor)

This piece, following the style of 16th-century German dance, is characterized by its solemnity and a mood that suggests the dancer's steps. On the other hand, the bold harmonic writing and the widely used range, almost sounding out of tune, already suggest the stylistic seeds found in later works such as Romeo and Juliet.

Dedicated to "Max" Maximilian Schmidthof (1892–1913), a close friend who appeared almost daily in Prokofiev's diary and who committed suicide by pistol in 1913, leaving a farewell letter to Prokofiev.

No. 9 Humorous Scherzo (Allegretto, C major)

A fragment from the protagonist's monologue at the beginning of Act 3 of Griboyedov's famous comedy Woe from Wit, "Those are the hoarse ones, the hangmen, the bassoons...", is quoted as an epigraph. Furthermore, this piece was later arranged for four bassoons (Op. 12bis), and combined with the fact that the entire piece is written in four separate voices, it can be assumed that the instrument was somewhat in mind. In the main section, a two-voice theme with disjunct intervals, also based on staccato, is played over an accompaniment of crisp staccatos and appoggiaturas. The contrasting middle section evokes solemnity through its chorale-like harmonic progression.

Dedicated to Nikolai Tcherepnin (1873–1945), the renowned mentor under whom Prokofiev studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

No. 10 Scherzo (A minor, Vivacissimo)

The main section consists of an accompaniment that maintains a steady triple meter rhythm and rapid passages. The middle section in C major features a light but technically demanding and vivid polyphonic right hand, while the accompaniment shifts to a duple meter progression, forming a polyrhythm between the right and left hands. This polyrhythm is carried over into the recapitulation of the main section, concluding the piece with a powerful impression.

Dedicated to his fellow student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Vladimir Deshevov (1889–1955), a composer who would later become known for his piano piece Rails (1926) and opera Ice and Steel (1929).