Prelude

A prelude (from the Latin 'praeludium', meaning 'to play beforehand') is a short piece originally intended as an introduction to a larger work such as a fugue or suite. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier paired a prelude with a fugue in every major and minor key, establishing the form's importance, while Chopin's 24 Preludes Op. 28 liberated the prelude as a standalone miniature — each one a self-contained world in under five minutes. Preludes offer superb practice material because they concentrate a single technical or musical idea into a brief span. When learning one, identify the governing pattern or texture early, master it in isolation, and then focus on shaping the whole piece as a single arc from beginning to end.