These four inventions originated as music written for the score of a film called "Acciaio" ("Steel"), along with another set of Seven Inventions. Malipiero later denied they originated in connection with the film, but his incorrect recollection probably stems from the director's high-handed misuse of his music.

The division of the music into two different sets of "Inventions" is reasonable: these four stand somewhat apart from the other seven. While the others are more or less free-form, these (all very close to two and a half minutes long) have a kind of scherzo-like form with sectional repetitions, and even in some respects resemble a Baroque dance suite, with musette-like held drone notes. These four pieces were written for scenes taking place in the country, and are for a small orchestra. The director rejected all of this music. The angered composer eventually withdrew these inventions, and they were not played in Italy until 1991.

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