Prelude No. 1

Prelude, 2006 draft and working files

The draft was recorded in 2006 and initially released as a mobile ringtone several years before the album's actual release.

"Prelude" as found in the preserved handwritten score

On the first pages of the two handwritten score sheets discovered on the drive, Preludethe title and the date "February 23, 2009" are handwritten. The notes, dynamic markings, and connecting lines on the staff lines document the shaping of the musical ideas and performance flow prior to the song's release. The second page is a continuation of the first.

This manuscript bears the song title used at the time: Prelude. The handwritten manuscript represents a musical record created after the 2006 audio draft; together, these two points in time illustrate the song's development process. The connection to today's page title, Prelude No. 1, continues through the subsequent release records and the musical score.

Available as a music box version

The music box version of Prelude No. 1 became available on 7 October 2010. The archived recording is labeled “Sorrow”.

The first piano album created to preserve the music

The proposal for the first piano album lists the title PreludeIt also records the goal of creating music to be shared with family and close acquaintances—music that would be long remembered. The plan at the time envisioned a cohesive flow encompassing not just the music, but also visuals, storytelling, and promotion via blogs and Facebook.

This document is a record of the planning for the first album. It does not explain the specific circumstances Prelude No. 1or the inspiration behind the composition of the track at that time. Therefore, rather than focusing on personal history, this is viewed here as the starting point of an effort to release a piece of music into the world, accompanied by an album and a story.

Piano Big BangThe second track, "Prelude"

Released on February 29, 2012, Piano Big Bangit is a single consisting of three tracks. Following the first track, Sad But Beautiful the second track is Prelude"Prelude."In a blog post written two weeks after the album's release, Lee Sang Gul explained that he had spent five years preparing the album and noted his preference for simple, restrained expression over flashy technical virtuosity. Regarding "Prelude," he described infusing his own New Age sensibility into a classical style reminiscent of Bach, highlighting the track's poignant arpeggios and restrained emotional expression.

The album's final track Piano Big Bang (Outro)is... PreludeIt is introduced as a piece that adapts the melody of... In other words, within this single, the "Prelude" served not only as a track title but also as a musical seed that led into the subsequent track.

Re-recording an old piece with a new performance

A full-length piano album released twelve years later Left Behindin Preludereturns as the ninth track. The album description notes that eleven tracks from previous digital singles were newly arranged, performed, and recorded. Therefore, rather than simply transferring the old audio, it is more accurate to view this inclusion as a version where the same piece was re-recorded with a contemporary performance.

The release date for the album on Spotify is March 20, 2024. On Melon, too, the same track Preludecan be found included.

Prelude No. 1, a melody expanded through orchestral and jazz elements

The currently archived PDF sheet music shows Prelude No. 1the title... and a slow tempo marking Adagio. The public-facing page provides only the PDF sheet music intended for the performer; the original editable files are not released.

Materials submitted for the orchestral collection designate this piece Prelude No. 1 (Orchestral Version)as... The album was released on September 11, 2026. In the collection video on Lee Sang Gul’s official You Tube channel, the twelfth chapter begins at the 27:02 mark under the title Prelude (Orchestral Version). A jazz arrangement was subsequently released on You Tube, and a jazz album is scheduled for release in October 2026.

The lingering resonance of the piano

Released on August 7, 2012, Prelude the piano video has accumulated 43,360 views on You Tube.

Based on a screenshot taken on October 6, 2026