Frank Martin, while assimilating many of the features of serial technique, found other of its features incompatible to his temperament. The Eight Preludes for Piano mark a point of decision regarding these features. While rejecting the twelve-tone row, he extracted prime cells from the octatonic scale and subjected them to the serial approach. One of these cells, G-flat - F - A - A-flat, evokes the B-A-C-H motive. In view of Martin's admiration for Bach, this similarity is probably not accidental. In any event, this four-note motive permeates the preludes and binds them into a coherent and unified set. Along with some evidence of partial form in the preludes, the concept of continuous variation is the compelling force molding the overall form. Martin disdained atonality on personal and artistic premises. Despite their contemporary textural qualities, the listener perceives c-sharp as a tonal center for the set. Tempo, rhythm, and texture contrasts and complementation between the preludes reveal an obviously preplanned format for the fulfillment of set unity. The consummate knowledge of pianism demonstrated in the preludes places them as a major contribution to twentieth-century piano literature.

The first three recitals included one recital of chamber music and two recitals of solo piano music. The first recital consisted of music for clarinet and piano, performed with Dr. Lee Gibson of the music faculty of North Texas State University. This program included the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, Five Atonal Pieces by William Latham, Sonata in F minor by Johannes Brahms, and Four Pieces for clarinet and piano by Alban Berg. The second recital contained the D minor Concerto of Marcello, transcribed by J. S. Sach, Sonata No. 1 by Karl Haria von Weber, Sposalizio by Franz Liszt, Sonata in F by Nels Harveland, and Three Fantasies from Opus 116 by Johannes Brahms. The third recital consisted of the F minor Fantasy by Mozart, Variations on a Theme of Rameau by Paul Dukas, Sechs Kleine Klavierstucke by Arnold Schoenberg and Four Preludes by Sergei Rachraaninov. The fourth recital featured a comparison of selected Liszt and Schumann piano transcriptions of Paganini Viol in Caprices. Musical examples comparing the Paganini Caprices and the transcriptions by Liszt and Schumann, in addition to examples comparing the similarities and differences between the transcriptions of Liszt and Schumann, were interspersed throughout the lecture.