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Overture (from French ouverture, lit. "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. [1] During the early Romantic era , composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overtures which were independent, self-existing, instrumental, programmatic works that foreshadowed genres such as the ...
Overture, musical composition, usually the orchestral introduction to a musical work (often dramatic), but also an independent instrumental work. Early operas opened with a sung prologue or a short instrumental flourish, such as the trumpet “Toccata” that opens Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607).
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Verdi – The Force of Destiny. With a main theme made famous by the “Reassuringly expensive” Stella Artois TV campaign of the 1990s, this operatic opener is indeed “Reassuringly Verdi” with the Italian composer’s customary mix of exquisite melody and thundering full-orchestra outbursts.
- Mozart – The Magic Flute. At the age of 28, Mozart joined the Masonic order, a secretive organisation with a rich set of rituals and symbols that many scholars believe are evident in Mozart’s later works, The Magic Flute being one of them.
- Rossini – William Tell. The overture that broke the mould, Rossini’s William Tell Overture escaped the clutches of the classical world and flew into the mainstream.
- Dame Ethel Smyth – The Wreckers. After five years touring Europe trying to persuade theatre impresarios to stage it, Smyth’s best-known opera The Wreckers finally received its premiere in Leipzig in 1906.
The Year 1812, Solemn Overture, Op. 49, popularly known as the 1812 Overture, [1] is a concert overture in E ♭ major written in 1880 by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece commemorates Russia's successful defense against the French invasion of the nation in 1812.
A complete guide to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, including how audiences, performers and the composer himself have responded to this iconic and surprisingly controversial work.
Jun 21, 2024 · If you are looking for one of the most rousing pieces of all time, a good place to start is Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture (and we have versions for 30 instruments and ensembles to choose from). Written to celebrate the Russian victory over Napoleon in 1812, it ends in a satisfying blaze of brass, cannon fire and bells.
May 5, 2020 · Rossini's overture to The Barber of Seville is instantly recognizable to almost anyone who has watched a movie or TV show at some point in their life. But what exactly is an overture? Here's a very brief introduction to this musical form.
