Prelude (music)
A short, improvisatory musical piece, often introductory or standalone.
A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. During the Baroque era, it often served as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that were usually longer and more complex, while during the Romantic era it could also be a stand-alone piece. It generally features a small number of rhythmic and melodic motifs that recur through the piece and is improvisatory in nature.
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- Short, improvisatory piece, often paired with a fugue or serving as an introduction
Lore & Background
These were followed by freely composed preludes for lute and other Renaissance string instruments, originally used for warming up fingers and checking tuning. Keyboard preludes appeared in 17th-century France as unmeasured preludes, where note duration was left to the performer, used as introductory movements in harpsichord suites; Louis Couperin was the first composer to embrace the genre. The development of the prelude in 17th-century Germany led to a sectional form similar to keyboard toccatas, with northern German composers such as Dieterich Buxtehude and Nikolaus Bruhns combining free improvised passages with strict contrapuntal writing.
Reader's Guide
The prelude has a long history, evolving from a functional introduction to an independent concert piece. Bach's preludes were diverse, drawing on both southern and northern German influences, and many were written in theme and variation form. Frédéric Chopin's set of 24 preludes, Op. 28, liberated the prelude from its introductory purpose, allowing it to serve as an independent concert piece. Chopin's set renewed the genre and served as a model for other collections of 24 or 25 piano preludes by composers such as Charles-Valentin Alkan, Ferruccio Busoni, César Cui, Stephen Heller, and Alexander Scriabin. Claude Debussy wrote two books of impressionistic piano preludes with descriptive titles. In the 20th century, Dmitri Shostakovich composed a set of 24 Preludes and Fugues in the tradition of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, arranged by the circle of fifths. Some avant-garde composers, including John Cage and François-Bernard Mâche, have also produced unattached preludes.
Did You Know?
- Louis Couperin was the first composer to embrace the unmeasured prelude genre for harpsichord.
- Frédéric Chopin's set of 24 preludes, Op. 28, liberated the prelude from its original introductory purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a prelude in music?
A prelude is a brief musical composition whose structure can differ significantly from one work to the next. It typically centers on a handful of repeating rhythmic or melodic ideas and carries a free, spontaneous feel.
How did the role of the prelude change over time?
In the Baroque period, preludes mainly functioned as a lead-in to longer, more elaborate movements that followed. By the Romantic era, composers began treating the prelude as a complete, independent work rather than just an opening gesture.
Why is a prelude so commonly paired with a fugue?
The prelude's loose, exploratory character sets up a natural contrast with the tightly structured, contrapuntal writing of a fugue. Together they create a satisfying arc from free expression to disciplined development.
What does 'improvisatory' mean in the context of a prelude?
It refers to the piece's free-flowing, spontaneous quality, as though the composer were working out ideas in real time. Rather than following a rigid formal template, the music unfolds organically through recurring small motifs.
Why is the prelude considered important in music theory and composition?
It demonstrates how a composer can build a coherent piece from just a few recurring ideas without relying on a fixed large-scale form. The prelude also highlights the historical shift from functional, introductory writing to self-contained artistic expression.
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