According to Milhaud himself, he was quite attracted to the unusual quality of small groups of instruments, which is why he embarked on his series of Petites Symphonies.
[2] His stay in Brazil, acting as assistant to the diplomat/poet Paul Claudel, influenced this work.
[3] This first symphony was written for piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe, harp, 2 violins, viola, and cello.
Overall, this piece has a very simple melody, contains polytonal elements, and possesses a pastoral, folkish feeling throughout.
[4] The melodies and pitches evoke a light, airy feeling, such as that of the spring, thus alluding to the symphony's subtitle.