Editing Overture (section)

== French overture ==
{{Main|French overture}}

As a [[musical form]], the French overture first appears in the court ballet and operatic overtures of [[Jean-Baptiste Lully]],<ref>{{harvnb|Waterman and Anthony|2001}}</ref> which he elaborated from a similar, two-section form called ''ouverture'', found in the French [[ballets de cour]] as early as 1640.<ref name="auto1"/> This French overture consists of a slow introduction in a marked "dotted rhythm" (i.e., exaggerated [[Iamb (foot)|iambic]], if the first chord is disregarded), followed by a lively movement in [[fugato]] style. The overture is frequently followed by a series of dance tunes before the curtain rises,{{sfn|Tovey|1911|p=385}} and often returns following the Prologue to introduce the action proper. This ouverture style was also used in English opera, most notably [[Henry Purcell]]'s ''[[Dido and Æneas]]''. Its distinctive rhythmic profile and function thus led to the French overture style found in the works of late Baroque composers such as [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], [[Georg Friedrich Händel]], and [[Georg Philipp Telemann]]. The style is most often used in [[Prelude (music)|prelude]]s to [[suite (music)|suite]]s, and can be found in non-staged vocal works such as [[cantata]]s, for example in the opening chorus of [[Bach cantata|Bach's cantata]] ''[[Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61]]''. [[George Frideric Handel|Handel]] also uses the French overture form in some of his Italian operas, such as ''[[Giulio Cesare]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Burrows|2012|loc={{Page needed|date=June 2013}}}}</ref>