The first public performance of this work was on December 4, 1926, at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City. Initially, several other pieces were reportedly performed, but it was compiled into its current form upon publication.

It is structured in a traditional slow-fast-slow movement order, allowing for a highly flexible performance. Riffs, in the sense of contemporary popular music, are effectively employed, and the melodies played over the left hand's consistent patterns are highly improvisational. Perhaps it is because Gershwin was immersed in music like jazz and blues, but one is left with the impression that his reflexes and flair for grasping melodies were directly imprinted onto the score. While the framework of each piece is a relatively standard A-B-A form, the way melodies are developed is fundamentally different from that of classical music. The keystrokes feel like direct dance steps, making it sound, in a sense, even more danceable than some jazz ensembles.