The French overture is a musical form widely used in the Baroque period. It is in two parts: the first is slow, often with double-dotted rhythms (a double-dotted crochet followed by a semiquaver), and the second is quick and fugal. Sometimes the first part returns at the end. The term musical form is used in two related ways: a generic type of composition such as the symphony or concerto the structure of a particular piece, how its parts are put together to make the whole; this too can be generic, such as binary form or sonata form Musical... Jump to: navigation, search Baroque music is European classical music written during the Baroque era, approximately 1600 to 1760. ... The word crochet is derived from the Middle French word croc or croche, meaning It describes the process of creating fabric from a length of cord, yarn, or thread with a hooked tool. ... Figure 1. ... For the use of the word in psychology see fugue state In music, a fugue is a type of piece written in counterpoint for several independent musical voices. ...

When written for orchestra, the French overture is often scored with trumpets and timpani, and aims at grandeur. The form was thus highly suited to an era in which all orchestras were employed by royalty or other aristocracy. Jump to: navigation, search The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the tuba, euphonium, trombone, sousaphone, and french horn. ... Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. ...

The name is acknowledgement of the importance of Jean-Baptiste Lully, the French baroque composer, in developing the form. He often used it to open his operas (tragédies en musique). Later examples can be found as the opening movement of each of Johann Sebastian Bach's orchestral suites, and as an opening to many oratorios by George Frideric Handel (including Messiah). The 16th of Bach's Goldberg Variations is a French overture in miniature. Jean-Baptiste Lully, originally Giovanni Battista Lulli (November 28, 1632–March 22, 1687), was an Italian-born French composer, who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. ... Jump to: navigation, search The 1748 Haussmann portrait of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach (March 21, 1685 – July 28, 1750) was a German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and keyboard drew together almost all of the strands of the baroque style and brought it... In music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting. ... Jump to: navigation, search An oratorio is a large musical composition for orchestra, vocal soloists and chorus. ... Jump to: navigation, search George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German Baroque music composer who lived much of his life in Great Britain, a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... Messiah (1741) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, is a theme and variations by Johann Sebastian Bach, originally written for the harpsichord but nowadays frequently performed on the piano. ...

The French overture should not be confused with the Italian overture, a three-part quick-slow-quick structure. The Italian overture is a piece of orchestral music which was used to open operas, oratorios and other large-scale works in the late 17th and early 18th century. ...