This is what I found in Milhaud's "Ma vie heureuse":
on their return from a concert tour in Russia (march 1926) Darius and Madeleine Milhaud were invited to the USA by Robert Schmitz (of the Pro Musica Society). Milhaud wrote "Carnaval d'Aix" for this occasion: a re-composition of 12 fragments from the ballet "Salade, an "evocation of commedia de'll arte figures".
From :
http://data.bnf.fr/13956842/darius_milhaud_salade__op__83/Description : Note : Notice rédigée d'après l'inventaire de la cote MAT. - Ballet chanté en 2 actes. - 1re représentation : Paris, Théâtre de la Cigale, orchestre sous la direction de Roger Désormière, le 17 mai 1934. - 1re représentation à l'Opéra de Paris : 13 février 1935. -
Il existe une version pour piano et orchestre sous le titre : "Le carnaval d'Aix" (op. 83b)
Compositeur : Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)
Auteur de l'argument : Albert Flament (1877-1956)
Though a competent pianist, he did not consider concert performance his forte. And while Milhaud surely exaggerated somewhat on the side of self-deprecation, he was self-conscious enough about his pianistic abilities for such concerns to have informed his Ballade for piano and orchestra, Op. 61, which he also performed during his tours abroad. Likewise, of the Carnaval d'Aix Milhaud wryly explained that "As I was no virtuoso, I had to compose for myself an easy work which would give the audience the impression that it was difficult." The hallmarks of Milhaud's style are present: the curious chromatic diversions, subtle but poignant use of dissonance within tonal contexts, polytonal complexes, and especially, vibrant rhythms inspired by jazz and South American music. Of course, Milhaud puts virtuosity to the purposes of expressive nuance rather than sheer pyrotechnics even in his most challenging works. Accordingly, what the Carnaval d'Aix lacks in technical complexity on the part of the soloist, it makes up for in energy and charm.
From:
http://www.allmusic.com/composition/le-carnaval-daix-11-fantasy-for-piano-orchestra-op-83b-mc0002373618It is a sunny, very light, fun piece:
https://www.youtube.com/v/-Z12UfM8SIIhttps://www.youtube.com/v/zmublnNaGHwAs for the pianoconcerti:
nr. 1 was indeed written for Marguerite Long, nr 2 (for Milhaud), nr 3 for Milhaud, nr 4 for Zadel Skolovsky ( Born of Russian parentage in Vancouver, Canada, in 1916 - died in ?) , nr 5 for Milhaud.
P.