Only three pieces within his comprehensive oeuvre were written by Françaix for this instrument. The French composer felt much more connected with the harp, a typical French instrument. The Prélude, published here for the first time, was composed in 1956 and is a marvellous, rather easy-to-play piece of music with its smooth flow of arpeggios. The disguising of the key, A Minor, that is characteristic of Françaix, evokes the Impressionist tone colours of the composer's great predecessors.

Molto moderato