Unlike the titles of the first and third movements, the second movement’s title, Jeux des vagues (Play of the waves), had not changed since the composer’s initial conception of the work (as made explicit by Debussy to publisher Durand by letter in the summer of 1903).

Debussy’s attention to detail is evident in his specific comments on instrumentation in the first bar, where he has indicated certain voices as being for “c.a.” (cor anglais) and for “cl.” (clarinet). His economy in writing is evident in the second score, third score, and fourth score, where he has indicated key signatures only where occasioned by outright modulations in the music.

Two other instances demonstrate the evolving state of the composition at this point in time, wherein passages sketched here would eventually appear differently in the published score. Specifically, in the 7^th and 8^th bars of the second score (altogether the 14^th and 15^th bars on the page), the arpeggiated figure on the uppermost stave eventually became a tremolo figure when played by the violas. Further, Debussy would make a rhythmic alteration in the 4^th through 6^th bars of the fourth score by transforming the 16^th-note triplet figures into a dotted-rhythm figure played by the clarinets.