Overture
Baroque works
Definition
An orchestral or keyboard introduction to a larger work, or an independent concert overture modeled on the same principles. The French overture (Bach, Handel) features a slow dotted introduction followed by a fast fugal section.
Historical Context
The keyboard overture appears in Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 4 (BWV 831) and in his Partita No. 4. Handel composed many keyboard overtures. In the Romantic era, the concert overture became an independent orchestral form, though piano arrangements and transcriptions were common.
Works (2)
- Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828: Ouverture Key D major
- French Overture in B minor, BWV 831: Ouverture Key B minor