Bizet was an excellent pianist, but his keyboard music is generally insubstantial and only his Jeux d'enfants, a fairly easy 12-movement suite for piano duet, remains popular. Bizet arranged five of those movements for orchestra, producing a light, bright narrative of children's games.

First comes a perky march called "Trompette et tambour" ("Trumpet and Drum"). It's mostly a low-key two-step featuring woodwinds every bit as much as trumpets, militaristic only insofar as it might accompany the activities of toy soldiers. Things get a little rough in the middle section, in which a gruff phrase is buffeted around the orchestra, but the initial march material closes out the piece.

Next comes a gentle Berceuse subtitled "La Poupée" ("The Doll"). Over an undulating accompaniment in the low strings, the woodwinds and violins play a tender rocking theme. An abrupt chord wakes everyone up at the start of the Impromptu, "La Toupie" ("The Top"). This is a brief scherzo full of whirling and chirping woodwind figures over whirring strings.

The fourth movement is called "Duo: Petit mari, petite femme." It's a slow movement with a touch of romance, depicting a pretend game of husband-and-wife. The strings carry the tender theme, which achieves a passionate little climax that is probably beyond the interests of children.

The last movement is an effervescent Galop called "Le Bal" ("The Ball," as in dance). With its music-hall finale tune pressing forward exuberantly, even while dodging a few sharp-elbow chords in the woodwinds and brass, the piece reminds us that kiddie dance parties can be raucous affairs.

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