The Prelude (Andante, completed October 22, 1950) possesses a solemn and tragic character. Above a pounding bass line based on whole notes, the inner voices create a unique effect through a pulsating succession of two-note figures, while the upper voice sings an emotionally rich melody.

The Fugue (4 voices, Adagio, completed October 27, 1950) is a solemn piece that inherits the character of the Prelude. Within the collection, only this piece and the final movement are double fugues. In the opening, the first subject, a four-measure theme that seems to plead with few words, forms the axis, and the music unfolds quietly. Subsequently, the tempo suddenly increases with Più mosso, and a new subject, based on active eighth notes, is presented, contrasting sharply with the first subject. The music gradually builds in tension, reaching a fortissimo where the first subject is sonorously played in the bass voice, and then in the soprano voice, forming a double fugue with the second subject.