Composed in January 1941 in Oakland, California, this is one of Milhaud's earliest works from his period in the United States. Its inclusion in Carl Fischer's Educational Series: Masters of Our Day (supervised by Lazare Saminsky and Isadore Freed) suggests that Milhaud composed it at the commission of one of the largest publishers in the United States. Among Milhaud's piano works, it is one of the simplest pieces suitable for learners.

It consists of two short pieces: "On White Keys," played exclusively on white keys with both hands, and "On Black Keys," played exclusively on black keys. "On White Keys" is marked Animato, in 3/4 time, C major, and in a simple A-B-A' ternary form. A key learning point is that the right hand plays the same melody in the initial A section and the recapitulated A' section, while the left hand provides accompaniment with different harmonies. "On Black Keys" is marked Moderato, in 4/4 time, G-flat major, and in an A-A' binary form, featuring a simple pentatonic melody. For a smooth performance, careful introduction of the pedal based on the score's indications should be considered.