The Classical Music Minute

The Story Of The Overture

July 05, 2021 Steven Hobé, Composer & Host Season 1 Episode 10
The Classical Music Minute
The Story Of The Overture
Show Notes Transcript

Description
Ever wondered how the Operatic Overture came into existence? Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
The roots of the opera Overture begin with the first surviving opera, Peri’s L’Euridice in the year 1600. Peri included an instrumental “ritornello” at the beginning of the opera. This planted the seeds for what would eventually become the full-blown overture.

About Steven
Steven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his website for more.

A Note To Music Students et al.
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The history of the overture goes back to the very beginning of the 17th century. 

In these early days, the overture was used to get the audience to settle down and pay attention, sometimes using trumpet fanfare and drum rolls.

But the Overture really began to take form with Jean-Baptiste Lully who pioneered the “French Overture.”, starting with his ballets in the 1640s. 

Then onto Scarlatti who created the three section overture in the 1680s, a fast-slow-fast form. 

Hand off to Gluck who’s overtures then incorporated themes from the opera itself—A  foreshadowing of both plot and mood. 

This A-B-A form was picked up by Mozart and his contemporaries.

Then came the late 18th century with composers like Verdi and Wagner ditching the A-B-A form for a more through-composed style.

As the Romantic era wore on, some composers started using the term overture to indicate stand-alone orchestral pieces. Ever heard of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture? It’s a blast!