Prelude

A prelude, also known as praeludium (Latin praeludium, prelude) or prélude (French) and preludio (Italian and Spanish), is an instrumental work with an opening or introductory character.
Originally, the prelude (or older: praeambulum, also preamble) was a term used from the 16th century onwards for an introductory, informal and improvised prelude for organ or plucked instrument (lute, guitar, vihuela), in the 17th century often a piece opening a suite and then a work for organ leading up to a chorale or opening a church service, before it preceded a fugue, a fantasia or another work as an independent form.

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