Georges Bizet composed 'L'Arlésienne' as incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play of the same name, usually translated as 'The Girl from Arles'. The incidental music has survived and flourished, however, it is most often heard in the form of two suites for orchestra, but has also been recorded complete.
The 'Prelude' is the first movement from the first Suite and apart from the scoring, is it unchanged from the original. Dutch arranger Jos van de Braak transcribed this 'Prelude' for Symphonic Band.