concert overture

overture, musical composition, usually the orchestral introduction to a musical work (often dramatic), but also an independent instrumental work.

Overture (from French ouverture, lit. "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century.

An overture is a piece of music played by an orchestra at the beginning of an opera or play. When an overture begins, the actors take their places and wait for the curtain to rise.

especially : an overture that alludes musically to the drama that follows.

The concert overture, based on the style of overtures to romantic operas, became established in the 19th century as an independent, one-movement work, which took either the classical sonata form or the free form of a symphonic poem.

Varieties of Program Music Concert overture: not associated with an opera, a single-movement concert piece based on a literary idea. Incidental music: an overture and series of pieces to be played between the acts of a play and during important scenes. Also applies to film music and background music in television today.

Examples of such works include Felix Mendelssohn's Hebrides overture and Elliott Carter's much later Holiday overture. Concert overtures were also written for performance on special occasions, e.g., Johannes Brahms's Academic Festival Overture.

The concert overture, based on the style of overtures to romantic operas, became established in the 19th century as an independent, one-movement work, which took either the classical sonata form or the free form of a symphonic poem.

The concert overture, based on the style of overtures to romantic operas, became established in the 19th century as an independent, one-movement work, which took either the classical sonata form or the free form of a symphonic poem.

The French word for “to open” is ouvrir. From that comes the word “overture,” aptly named, because an overture does indeed start things off – for an opera, a play, a suite of dances played by an orchestra or piano. Most of us think of it as the music heard before the curtain goes up on an opera performance.

Concert overture: not associated with an opera, a single-movement concert piece based on a literary idea. Incidental music: an overture and series of pieces to be played between the acts of a play and during important scenes. Also applies to film music and background music in television today.

Early 19th century However, the overture A Midsummer Night's Dream (1826) by Felix Mendelssohn is generally regarded as the first concert overture.