In 1892, Satie, then a member of Péladan's Rosicrucian Salon of Painting, held at the Durand-Ruel Gallery, was entrusted with composing the incidental music for Péladan's play Le Fils des étoiles (The Son of the Stars), which was to be performed there. He then composed three preludes for flute and harp. Although the pieces are accompanied by the subtitle "Wagnerian Astrology of Sâr Péladan," it is clear that Péladan was fascinated by Wagner. These pieces were later preserved as piano works under the title Préludes du Fils des étoiles.

The Preludes

• No. 1 "La Vocation" (The Vocation) – Ornamental Theme: Chaldean Night
• No. 2 "L'Initiation" (The Initiation) – Ornamental Theme: The Great Hall beneath the Great Temple
• No. 3 "L'Incantatio" (The Incantation) – Ornamental Theme: The Terrace of the Palace of Patesi Gondea

The Prelude to Act I: "La Vocation" features four identical ascending figures repeated eight times with a deep perfect fourth harmonic sonority, gradually breaking down into finer subdivisions (such as triplet motifs), but ultimately returning to the initial chordal sonority. Its structure follows an A–B–C–D–B–C pattern.

The Prelude to Act II: "L'Initiation" quietly features ten repetitions of harmonic sonorities of thirds and fourths, after which triplets appear. Its structural flow is A–B–C–B–C.