Prelude

Prelude is a term with musical, literary, and broader cultural uses. Etymologically, it comes from the Latin preludium, from prae- “before” and ludere “to play,” signaling something that comes before what follows.

In music, a prelude is typically an introductory piece that precedes a larger work or serves as an independent short work. In the Baroque era, preludes often introduced suites, fugues, or other forms. Notable examples include Bach’s preludes in the Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as independent collections by Chopin and Debussy. Preludes can be concise mood studies, exploratory in character, or freely composed in contrast to more formal structures. They are distinct from an overture, which traditionally serves as the opening music to an opera or play, though the terms have sometimes been used loosely in modern programming.

In literature, a prelude can refer to an introductory section or a short piece that precedes a narrative. A prologue serves a similar function in many works, but some writers use prelude to emphasize thematic or tonal setup rather than a straightforward plot introduction. The concept also appears in film, where a prelude may denote an opening sequence that establishes context or backstory before the main action.

Beyond these, the word prelude is used colloquially to denote any preliminary event or happening that signals the approach of something larger, such as a prelude to a historical period or to a sequence of events.