This is a collection of short pieces composed in 1944 by Kabalevsky, who wrote numerous works for children. The work was composed when Kabalevsky was 40 years old. Each piece is provided with tempo indications and a title.

No. 1 “Song”

Andante in 4/4 time. Written in C major, it is a short piece of only 8 measures. The right-hand melody, consisting solely of “Do-Re-Mi,” is supported by whole-note chords in the left hand.

No. 2 “Pretty Polka”

Moderato in 4/4 time. Like “Song,” the first piece, it is written in C major and is a short piece of only 8 measures. In this piece, the left hand plays a melody composed of “Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol,” while the right hand articulates chords, interspersed with quarter rests.

No. 3 “Marcia”

Tempo di Marcia in 4/4 time. This piece is written in D minor. Although also an 8-measure work, similar to the first piece, a “movable Do” reading reveals that the right-hand melody consists solely of “Do-Re-Mi.”

No. 4 “Lullaby”

Andante in 2/4 time. Written in E minor, it is also an 8-measure work. It is composed solely of unison passages in both hands.

No. 5 “Play”

Allegro assai in 3/4 time. Written in B-flat major. This piece introduces 3/4 time for the first time and is somewhat longer at 22 measures in total. As the left and right hands play alternately, only one note sounds at a time. Staccato is also a dominant feature of this piece.

No. 6 “Little Scherzo”

Allegro in 2/4 time. Written in C major. This piece features parallel motion in 6ths between the left and right hands and consists of 16 measures in total.

No. 7 “Funny Event”

Marcato in 3/4 time. It consists of 24 measures in total and is written in G major. Similar to the fifth piece, as the left and right hands play alternately, only one note sounds at a time. Furthermore, it is structured in a canonic form where the right hand precisely imitates the preceding left hand.

No. 8 “Melody”

Andante in 4/4 time. Written in D minor. It is an 8-measure piece of music in unison between both hands. A distinctive feature is that in the latter half, the B-flat in the key signature is raised a semitone to B-natural.

No. 9 “Dance”

Allegro in 4/4 time. It consists of 12 measures in total and is written in F major. The structure features the left hand supporting the right-hand melody with chords. Similar to the fifth piece, staccato is a dominant feature of this work.

No. 10 “March”

Animato in 2/4 time. Although written in C major, a key change from C major to E-flat major and back to C major is observed within the total of 16 measures. Furthermore, sections of monophony, unison passages between both hands, and harmonized passages between both hands appear alternately.

No. 11 “Autumn Song”

Andante cantabile in 2/4 time. Written in B minor. All 24 measures are performed in unison by both hands.

No. 12 “Joke”

Allegro in 2/4 time. Although written with the key signature of C major, the music unfolds over 16 measures with triads moving in parallel motion, both ascending and descending.

No. 13 “Waltz”

Moderato in 3/4 time. Written in D minor, it is somewhat longer at 32 measures in total. In this piece, longer slurs appear compared to previous pieces. The richly sung right-hand melody is accompanied by chords in the left hand.

No. 14 “An Old Story”

Molto Allegro in 2/4 time. This 12-measure work in A major modulates to A minor in the middle section. While primarily featuring eighth notes, unlike the common unison passages seen previously, this piece features both hands consistently playing different notes.

No. 15 “Fugue”

Allegro giocoso in 3/4 time. Written in C major. In this 24-measure piece, the heterophonic technique is employed, where both hands play the same melody with different rhythms.

No. 16 “Sad Story”

Andante in 3/4 time. Written in E minor. This 24-measure piece has a three-part form. In the outer sections, the left hand plays a sustained melody, while the right hand takes on an obbligato-like role. In the middle section, on the other hand, both hands move in parallel motion at the interval of a 13th.

No. 17 “Old Dance”

Allegro in 2/4 time. Written in D major. At 32 measures, it is somewhat longer than previous pieces. It is broadly divided into a first half and a second half. Each of these can be further subdivided into a first and second half. Thus, it is structured as “a-b-a’-b’.” In “a,” the left hand leads, while in “a’,” the right hand leads. Furthermore, “b” and “b’” are characterized by parallel motion in 10ths between both hands.

No. 18 “Gallop”

Vivace in 2/4 time. Written in C major, it consists of 24 measures. The right hand, centered on scalar motion, is accompanied by the left hand, which is primarily chordal.

No. 19 “Prelude”

Moderato in 4/4 time. Written in G minor, it consists of 20 measures. Over the scalar motion in the left hand, the right hand weaves a line combining arpeggiated chords and scalar motion.

No. 20 “Clown”

Vivace in 2/4 time. Written in A minor. It has a three-part form structure of 8, 9, and 8 measures. The right-hand melody, which distinctively presents chromatic alterations such as C-sharp and C-natural, and G-sharp and G-natural, is supported by the lively eighth notes in the left hand.

No. 21 “Impromptu”

Andante in 3/4 time. Written in D minor, it consists of 34 measures. Sections where the left and right rhythms are offset by a half-beat alternate with sections that adhere to the meter.

No. 22 “Novelette”

Allegretto leggiero in 2/4 time. It has a three-part form structure and is a relatively long piece within this collection, totaling 50 measures. In this A minor piece, the left hand sings the melody. In contrast, the right hand plays characteristic double stops in the upper voice of the left hand, featuring an eighth rest at the beginning of each measure.

No. 23 “Slow Waltz”

Andante tranquillo in 3/4 time. Written in A minor, it is a relatively long piece within this collection, totaling 40 measures, following the 21st piece. It has a two-part form structure of “a-b-a-a’.” The structure features the left hand supporting the right-hand melody.

No. 24 “Joyful Journey”

This collection concludes with a piece written in E major, Con animo, in 4/4 time. It has a three-part form structure of “a-b-a,” with each section consisting of 8 measures. The structure features the left hand supporting the lively right-hand melody; however, while the outer sections are supported by chords, the middle section is supported by arpeggiated chords.