Composed circa 1881 and published by Hamelle in the same year. The premiere took place in December of the following year at the Société Nationale de Musique, performed by Saint-Saëns. This work, featuring three themes, is written in A minor with an Allegretto moderato tempo. Among Fauré's works, it has a relatively simple structure.

In later years (1913), Fauré performed this work for a player piano, and the performance etched onto that piano roll has been preserved to this day.