Interlude

What it means

Interludium is the Latin word for interlude: a piece of music or section inserted between two larger parts of a work or an action. It bridges a pause, prepares a change, or lets a preceding mood linger on.

Musical use

In organ music, an interlude denotes a short piece played between the verses of a chorale while the congregation catches its breath. In opera, theatre, and ballet it stands between scenes or acts and takes on tasks similar to the entr'acte or the intermezzo. In vocal and instrumental concert music, too, an interlude can form a transition between movements or sections.

The interlude should be distinguished from the prelude, which stands before a piece, and from the postlude, which closes it. It differs from the entr'acte, which stands specifically between the acts of an opera, through its more general use, also common outside stage music.

Performance practice

Listen to an interlude for its mediating function: it is usually meant to be calmer than what preceded and to prepare for what follows. If you play an interlude on the organ, keep it short and unobtrusive so the congregation does not lose the thread of the next verse.