A History of the Overture and its Use in the Wind Band: An Annotated Gu

A History of the Overture and its Use in the Wind ringing The term overture is be defined as a put of music of moderate length, either introducing a dramatic work or intended for concert performance (Sadie, 1980). It may be a sensation or multi-movement composition preceding an opera, ballet or oratorio a single movement prelude to a non-musical dramatic work or a single movement concert piece detached from its accredited context intended to be performed alone (Peyser, 1986). The overture grew out of seventeenth century baroque dramatic works which began with either a french ouverture, the word from which the term is derived, or an Italian overture (Sadie, 1980). Composers such as Lully, Purcell and Handel used the French overture which is in two personas, each label with a repeat. The French overture begins with a slow homophonic sectionalisation frequently using dotted rhythms often ending on a half cadence and then moves to a faster fugal or quasi-fugal section which usua lly makes a return to the slow tempo and rhythms of the freshman section (Stolba, 1998). The Italian overture, or sinfonia as it was sometimes called, was written in three movements which are fast-slow-fast in order, the finale often written in a dance like character (Peyser, 1986). By the ordinal century, this quality of overture prevailed for operas even in France with the first movement becoming long-dated and more elaborate. Sonata form was generally used and a slow incoming would often begin the work (Sadie, 1980). Due to the loose terminology of the eighteenth century, symphonies and suites were sometimes called overtures (Peyser, 1986). The slow-fast-slow alternation of tempos foreshadowed the order of movements in the Classical symphony, lacking only the menue... ..., great deal 2. Chicago, IL GIA Publications, Inc. National Band Association (1997) discriminating Music propensity for Bands 4th Edition. Nashville, TN National Band Association. Peyser, J. (1986) The O rchestra Origins and Transformations. New York Charles Scribners and Sons. Sadie, S. (1980) New woodlet Dictionary for Music and Musicians. London MacMillian. Smith, N & Stoutamire, A. (1989) Band Music Notes. Lake Charles, LA Program Note Press. Stolba, M. K. (1998) The Development of Western Music, A History, Third Edition. Boston, MA McGraw Hill Stone, S. (1999) Charles Carters Symphonic Overture. The Instrumentalist, 54, 36, 38, 40, 42. Turner, D. L. (1990) Conductors Choice Annotated Selective Music List for Band Greenville, SC Bob Jones University Press. http//www.grovemusic.com/grovemusic//article/section/4/407/40774.3.5.html