Messiaen composed the work at the Lac de Pétichet in the summer of 1936, setting his own poems.

[4] Messiaen dedicated the cycle to his first wife, Claire Delbos,[1] a violinist and composer.

The soprano Marcelle Bunlet was accompanied by the orchestra of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conducted by Roger Désormière.

The "Mi" syllable of the title is a word of affection, imitating a diminutive, and the nickname of the dedicatee.

[6] The orchestration is scored for soprano solo, three flutes (third doubling piccolo), two oboes, cor anglais, two clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons (third doubling contrabassoon), four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, percussion (three players) and strings.