The Prelude et fughetta is Roussel's only organ piece, although he had studied organ along with composition with the organist Eugene Gigout. The prelude is calm and gentle and lacking in Roussel's usual biting harmonies; however, the discords that do exist seem to be amplified and accentuated to an unpleasant degree by the organ's forceful tone. The fughetta is rather more successful.

Nonetheless, the subtleties of Roussel's counterpoint are not ideally suited to the organ. Even in his orchestral works, the density of the counterpoint occasionally makes it difficult for all the voices to be heard. On the organ, with a thick tone that doesn't have the orchestra's advantage of varying tone colors, this becomes a problem. To make an organ composition truly work would have required a different, less subtle approach; and since Roussel never again wrote for this instrument, he never refined his organistic style.

Roussel's output is remarkably even and high in quality; but this work is an exception to his usual high standards.

The Prelude and Fughetta for organ is slight and unassumming. It has been transcribed for string orchestra by F. Goldbeck, for which form its counterpoint is well suited. [Norman Demuth]

Contrary to what one might think, Roussel's art fits the organ badly. Roussel's writing has imponderable subtleties and a strong power of suggestion that simply don't work on the organ. The king of instruments does not easily give up its solemnity; it balks at inferences and at any style that is elliptical and allusive. [Robert Bernard]