prelude
What precedes fugues
A prelude is something that comes before and introduces what follows.
In music, a prelude is a short piece that precedes a larger work—a fugue, an opera, or a suite—though some stand alone: Chopin's Preludes.
More broadly, any preliminary event can be a prelude: The skirmish was a prelude to full-scale war.
To prelude is to serve as such an introduction.
Introductory orchestral piece
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
- openingGap or start
- preamblePreliminary statement before content
- prologueIntroductory literary section
preface · foreword · lead-in · curtain-raiser · preliminary · antecedent · precursor · harbinger
Introductory literary section
- forewordIntroductory book section
- prefaceIntroductory book section
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
- proemIntroductory section of writing
exordium · preamble · epigraph · frontispiece · opening · lead-in · setup · framing
Contemplative keyboard piece
- etudeInstrumental practice composition
- impromptuWithout advance preparation
- arabesqueFlowing ornamental design
- fantasiaFree-form musical composition
toccata · fugue · invention · bagatelle · capriccio · rhapsody · ballade · scherzo
Act of starting
- onsetStarting point of something
- outsetInitial point of something
- dawnDay's first glow
- genesisPoint of creation
threshold · inauguration · debut · inception · opening · kickoff · birth · advent
Belief about future outcomes
- foreshadowingHinting at later events
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
- heraldOfficial news announcer
- precursorSomething that comes first
portent · omen · foretaste · promise · indication · signal · hint · suggestion
overture
Introductory orchestral piece
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
- openingGap or start
- preamblePreliminary statement before content
prologue · preface · foreword · lead-in · curtain-raiser · preliminary · antecedent · precursor · harbinger · herald
prologue
Introductory literary section
- forewordIntroductory book section
- prefaceIntroductory book section
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
proem · exordium · preamble · epigraph · frontispiece · opening · lead-in · setup · framing · exposition
nocturne
Contemplative keyboard piece
- etudeInstrumental practice composition
- impromptuWithout advance preparation
- arabesqueFlowing ornamental design
fantasia · toccata · fugue · invention · bagatelle · capriccio · rhapsody · ballade · scherzo · partita
commencement
Act of starting
genesis · threshold · inauguration · debut · inception · opening · kickoff · birth · advent · launch
expectation
Belief about future outcomes
- foreshadowingHinting at later events
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
- heraldOfficial news announcer
precursor · portent · omen · foretaste · promise · indication · signal · hint · suggestion · premonition
- openersbottle opener, can opener, corkscrew, church key, churchkey
- Early Musicmedieval music, Gregorian chant, Renaissance music, motet, baroque music
- opera partsaria, libretto, recitative, duet, trio
- musicmusic, song, songs, singing, singer
- classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
- beginningsbegin, beginning, start, first, opening
- chorale preludeOrgan piece on hymn