This is one of Milhaud's earliest piano works. Works from this period of Milhaud's career are rarely brought to light. Milhaud himself held a rather cool assessment of his own works composed before his stay in Brazil (1917–1918), specifically mentioning his Violin Sonata No. 1 (Op. 3), String Quartet No. 1 (Op. 5), and the present work (Op. 8) in his autobiography, stating that he preferred them not to be performed. Indeed, the persistent repetition of motifs, lengthy developments, and dense textures that characterize this work are distinctly atypical for Milhaud's oeuvre; however, they also represent valuable traces of his explorations before he established his compositional approach during his time in Brazil. Conversely, characteristics consistent throughout Milhaud's works, such as clear melodies, robust counterpoint, and harmony including polytonality, are amply present. While based on calm and introspective musical ideas, the work incorporates variations and undulations, adhering to a restrained compositional style without resorting to superficial virtuosity. It can be said that this work is well worth re-examining. It should also be noted that Milhaud generally tended to be excessively modest about his own compositions. The 21-year-old Milhaud dedicated each movement to close friends of his generation. Everything surrounding this work is imbued with youthful freshness.

Premiere and Manuscript History

The premiere of this work took place on March 23, 1914, at the Libre Esthétique in Brussels, performed by Georgette Guller, the dedicatee of the fifth movement. At just 18 years old, Guller had already graduated with top honors from Isidore Philipp's class at the Paris Conservatoire and was emerging as a promising young female pianist. Shortly thereafter, Guller began to use the name Youra Guller, captivating audiences with her performances full of rich temperament, becoming a legendary pianist who even captivated a young Martha Argerich. The day after the Brussels premiere, Milhaud presented the autograph manuscript of this work to Guller, who cherished it throughout her life. After Guller's death, the autograph manuscript of this work was put up for auction at Sotheby's in 2005, where it was acquired by the prominent American investor Bruce Kovner. He subsequently donated it to the Juilliard School, and it can now be viewed on the Juilliard Manuscript Collection website.

Movements

• Movement 1: Lent (Slowly) 4/4 time. Completed on April 30, 1913, in Paris. Dedicated to Jean Wiéner (composer).
• Movement 2: Vif et clair (Lively and clear) 4/4 time. Completed on August 7, 1913, at his family home in Aix. Dedicated to Henri Cliquet (composer).
• Movement 3: Lourd et rythmé (Heavy and rhythmic) 4/4 time. Completed on August 13–14, 1913, at his family home in Aix. Dedicated to Roger de Fontenay (composer).
• Movement 4: Lent et grave (Slow and solemn) 4/4 time. Completed on September 1, 1913, at his family home in Aix. Dedicated to Céline Lagouarde (photographer and pianist).
• Movement 5: Modéré (Moderately) 3/4 time – Animé (Lively) 4/4 time. Completed on September 6, 1913, at his family home in Aix. Dedicated to Georgette Guller (pianist).