This prelude is striking for its unusual writing and intense atmosphere. Alkan uses deep, closely spaced left-hand chords to create a dark, claustrophobic sound. Above this, the right-hand melody, evoking a woman singing, begins serenely but quickly unravels into a frenzied outburst. Just as suddenly, it returns to calm, as if nothing had happened. The contrast between surface beauty and underlying turmoil is both haunting and powerful.