Changes

Historically, this is generally the case, although, until the time of [[Gluck]] and [[Mozart]] the music bore no thematic relationship to the musical action that followed. Like most other types of music, the overture (or “''sinfonia''” in Italy) had followed the usual path of development into national styles, with  [[French]] and [[Italian]] forms reaching their full pre-Gluck development under [[Lully]] and [[Alessandro Scarlatti]] respectively.   

Historically, this is generally the case, although, until the time of [[Gluck]] and [[Mozart]] the music bore no thematic relationship to the musical action that followed. Like most other types of music, the overture (or “''sinfonia''” in Italy) had followed the usual path of development into national styles, with  [[French]] and [[Italian]] forms reaching their full pre-Gluck development under [[Lully]] and [[Alessandro Scarlatti]] respectively.   

In [[Germany]] “''ouvertüre''” had already become a term for a suite of music that began with an overture. In the early 19th century, whilst retaining its introductory purpose (and considered most important too – Beethoven wrote four overtures to his opera, “Fidelio” before he was satisfied; the first three have come down to us as the popular “Leonora” overtures, named after the heroine of the opera) - the term began describing a single movement short descriptive piece. [[Felix Mendelssohn]]’s “''Hebrides''” (“''Fingal’s Cave''”) is considered the first of these. (Although his “''Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream''”, which is a descriptive piece written many years before the rest of the incidental music to the play, may be able to stake a claim of seniority.) The career of the “Concert Overture” as an independent piece of music had begun.  

In [[Germany]] “''ouvertüre''” had already become a term for a [[suite]] of music that began with an overture. In the early 19th century, whilst retaining its introductory purpose (and considered most important too – Beethoven wrote four overtures to his opera, “Fidelio” before he was satisfied; the first three have come down to us as the popular “Leonora” overtures, named after the heroine of the opera) - the term began describing a single movement short descriptive piece. [[Felix Mendelssohn]]’s “''Hebrides''” (“''Fingal’s Cave''”) is considered the first of these. (Although his “''Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream''”, which is a descriptive piece written many years before the rest of the incidental music to the play, may be able to stake a claim of seniority.) The career of the “Concert Overture” as an independent piece of music had begun.  

During the 19th century the overture in its original sense went through a series of transformations, becoming (as in [[Wagner]]’s “''Tannhäuser''”) a dramatic prelude lasting over a quarter of an hour, or a major piece for soloist orchestra and chorus (Boito’s “M''efistofeles''”) or short preludes as in Wagner’s “''Lohengrin''” and many of the Verdi operas, or virtually none at all ([[Puccini]]’s “''La Boheme''”).  

During the 19th century the overture in its original sense went through a series of transformations, becoming (as in [[Wagner]]’s “''Tannhäuser''”) a dramatic [[prelude]] lasting over a quarter of an hour, or a major piece for soloist, orchestra and chorus (Boito’s “M''efistofeles''”) or short preludes as in Wagner’s “''Lohengrin''” and many of the Verdi operas, or virtually none at all ([[Puccini]]’s “''La Boheme''”).  

The concert overture has taken various forms and reasons for being:  

The concert overture has taken various forms and reasons for being:  

*As a piece for an occasion – e.g.[[William Walton]]’s “''Johannesburg Festival Overture''” was commissioned for that city’s 70th birthday celebrations.  

*As a piece for an occasion – e.g.[[William Walton]]’s “''Johannesburg Festival Overture''” was commissioned for that city’s 70th birthday celebrations.