The work was composed in 1934, partly in response to a suggestion from Zemlinsky's publishers Universal Edition who had encouraged the composer to write “an orchestral work, short and practical in its requirements...”.
[2] The American premiere was given on 29 December 1940 by the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos.
[1] The work is in three movements:- The Sinfonietta is a characteristic work of Zemlinsky's late style, with its clear-cut orchestration, predominantly contrapuntal textures and rhythmic energy characteristic of Neue Sachlichkeit.
[citation needed] The work has a performance duration of approximately 20 minutes.
[2] The work is scored for an orchestra consisting of: two flutes (second doubling piccolo), two oboes (second doubling cor anglais), two clarinets (second doubling E flat clarinet), two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, timpani, percussion (xylophone, glockenspiel, cymbals, side drum, tom-tom, triangle, tambourine), harp, and strings.