- Composer: Minah Ramandrosoa
- Key: D major
- Tempo: Adagio
- Instrument: Piano
Description
Like waves rolling onto the shore, this prelude unfolds with a surface that seems repetitive and calm, yet beneath it lies constant variation and subtle unpredictability.
The main melody, while appearing simple and recurring, reveals delicate shifts and surprises with each phrase.
The piece opens unexpectedly with an E major chord, quickly settling into D major where the main melody is introduced, before drifting into the C minor key.
In this modulation, the new melody provides a sense of emotional comfort to help feel secure despite the shift in the musical landscape.
From there, it rises again—modulating to E major, momentarily revisiting the harmonic color of the introduction, as if the wave were pulling back before its final surge. Eventually, the music returns home to D major, completing its cyclical journey.
Throughout, the left hand’s ascending and descending arpeggios gently imitate the natural motion of waves—rising, falling, retreating—creating a flowing undercurrent that drives the piece forward.
Download Sheet Music
Prelude No. 5 in D major (pdf)