Prelude

prelude
    n 1: something that serves as a preceding event or introduces
         what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to
         employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner" [syn:
         {preliminary}, {overture}, {prelude}]
    2: music that precedes a fugue or introduces an act in an opera
    v 1: serve as a prelude or opening to
    2: play as a prelude
    

Prelude \Pre*lude"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Preluded}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Preluding}.] [L. praeludere, praelusum; prae before +
   ludere to play: cf. F. pr['e]luder. See {Ludicrous}.]
   To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory
   performance; to serve as prelude.
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         The musicians preluded on their instruments. --Sir. W.
                                                  Scott.
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         We are preluding too largely, and must come at once to
         the point.                               --Jeffrey.
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Prelude \Pre*lude"\, v. t.
   1. To introduce with a previous performance; to play or
      perform a prelude to; as, to prelude a concert with a
      lively air.
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   2. To serve as prelude to; to precede as introductory.
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            [Music] preluding some great tragedy. --Longfellow
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Prelude \Pre"lude\, n. [F. pr['e]lude (cf. It. preludio, LL.
   praeludium), fr. L. prae before + ludus play. See {Prelude},
   v. t.]
   An introductory performance, preceding and preparing for the
   principal matter; a preliminary part, movement, strain, etc.;
   especially (Mus.), a strain introducing the theme or chief
   subject; a movement introductory to a fugue, yet independent;
   -- with recent composers often synonymous with overture.
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         The last Georgic was a good prelude to the Aenis
                                                  --Addison.
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         The cause is more than the prelude, the effect is more
         than the sequel, of the fact.            --Whewell.
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   Syn: Preface; introduction; preliminary; preamble;
        forerunner; harbinger; precursor.
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54 Moby Thesaurus words for "prelude":
      Vorspiel, antecedence, antecedency, anteposition, anteriority,
      avant-propos, breakthrough, concert overture, curtain raiser,
      descant, dominion, dramatic overture, exordium, foreword,
      front matter, front position, frontispiece, innovation, introduce,
      introduction, leap, operatic overture, overture, postulate,
      preamble, precedence, precedency, preceding, precession, precursor,
      preface, preference, prefix, prefixation, prefixture, preliminary,
      premise, presupposition, priority, proem, prolegomena,
      prolegomenon, prolepsis, prologize, prologue, protasis, prothesis,
      superiority, the lead, top priority, urgency, vamp, verse,
      voluntary