the first movement, called prélude, is marked "assez animé et très rythmé" (with spirit and very rhythmically). it was dedicated to debussy's student mlle worms de romilly, who notes that the movement "tellingly evokes the gongs and music of java". the pianist angela hewitt notes that prélude begins with a theme in the bass, followed by a long pedal point passage. the theme is repeated in chords marked fortissimo, together with glissando runs that debussy connected to "d’artagnan drawing his sword". in a middle section, the left hand holds a pedal point in a-flat major, to which the right hand adds colours. the conclusion is marked "tempo di cadenza", again with glissando-figures.