The prelude begins with the main thematic material that we will call the Puck theme.

• The theme uses the F Dorian mode (A).
• Rhythmically, it has a prominent dance character.
• In measure 6, it rests on E flat harmonized by a C flat chord.
• The C and G flat of the chord suggests the Locrian mode (B).
• The motifs m₁, m₂, m₃, and m₄ will be used throughout the prelude.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 7 to 15

• In bars 8 to 12, a series of semi-diminished chords develop the Puck theme in the form of arpeggios.
• A trill at bar 12 followed by a chromatic downward movement at bars 14 and 15.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 16 to 29

• At bar 16, the trill reappears, this time followed by an ascending chromatic movement.
• Starting at bar 18, a series of E-flat dominant chords with different extensions present a new rhythmic pattern that we will call the Puck rhythm .
• The C-flat chord reappears (this time augmented) at bars 25 and 27.
• The motif m₁ is used as the internal voice in measures 28 and 29.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 30 to 35

• The m₁ motif with the notes D and E-flat in the high register and an E-flat bass prolong the E-flat dominant harmony in measures 30 and 31.
• The motif establishes a pedal throughout the passage.
• A series of triads in the first inversion (32 and 33) move in parallel, presenting a theme that takes us away from the previous bars' dancing character. We will call it the Puck's song.
• If we take E flat as the tonic, the mode would be E flat Locrian (A).
• We present enharmonically written chords in the red boxes for clarity.
• The dominant E flat returns at measures 34 and 35.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 36 to 41

• The chords of measures 32 and 33 reappear.
• We rest on C-flat major (motif m₄) in measure 41, keeping the upper pedal and E-flat's bass..

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 42 to 52

• The D and E-flat pedal continue - sometimes with a quarter note value - and the C-flat harmony until the first beat of measure 45.
• In the second beats of measures 45 and 46, a diminished F chord alternates with the C-flat chord.
• At bar 49, the Puck rhythm from bar 18 reappears.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 53 to 56

A dominant C sharp chord (E sharp written as F natural) with various extensions fills bars 53 to 56:

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 57 to 58

• Measures 57 to 58 and 61 to 62 use the motifs m₁ and m₂ on an A dominant chord in the first inversion.
• The C sharp dominant chords of the preceding measures (m₃ motif) interrupt the chords in measures 59 and 60.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 63 to 68

• In bars 63 to 66, the Puck theme reappears, this time harmonized with a dominant B-flat chord.
• In bars 67 and 68, Debussy combines the Puck rhythm in the left hand with the motif m₁ in the right hand.
• Note the simultaneous use of B flat and natural in the E dominant chord at bars 67 and 68.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 69 to 75

• The fragmented use of the motifs m₁, m₂, and m₃ prepare the prelude's final bars.
• At measure 73, a D-flat chord with a major seventh and thirteenth rises chromatically to a D natural chord.
• The D natural chord has the notes of an E pentatonic scale as its top notes.
• This same scale develops the motif m₃ in the internal voice.
• The process is repeated at measure 78, a major third higher.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Measures 76 to 82

• A dominant B chord (bar 77) leads to an F sharp minor chord with added sixth.
• At bar 79, the m₃ motif insists on the notes D and F sharp before moving to take us to the final section.

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Final Measures

• We hear Puck's theme for the last time, this time accompanied by a variant of Puck's song on the bass and the trill as an internal voice.
• From measure 91, a dominant E flat harmony with all its extensions is established.
• At measures 95 and 96, the m₃ motif first reinforces the harmony of E-flat Mixolydian (a), followed by E major (b), returning to E-flat Mixolydian and ending in E-flat major (c).

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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Complete Prelude

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
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