The Latin word interludĕre , which can be translated as “to play at times or in between” , came to medieval Latin as interludium , which in turn led to interlude in our language . The term is used in the field of music .
In ancient times, the idea of interlude was used to describe a short composition that organists performed in the middle of the stanzas of a choral composition . These were pieces that were interspersed between the verses of psalms, hymns and other works .
Currently, an interlude is understood as the passage whose execution takes place between two parts of the same piece . In instrumental music, the interlude serves as an interlude .
In the field of opera , interludes appear between acts and contribute to the advancement of the dramatic action. They are numbers that are located inside the opera, therefore they are not located at the beginning (like the overture or prelude) nor at the end. In the interlude, it is common for the characters to be inactive or even off stage, moments that are used to give prominence to the orchestra or change costumes, for example.
Although in popular music the interlude is not very common, some of the great figures of composition have resorted to this type of piece to articulate their albums . Such is the case of Mariah Carey , a singer-songwriter born in North America in 1970, who holds the title of the female soloist who has sold the most albums in history, in addition to surpassing the songs that have reached number one. Beatles.
Just as in opera, the interlude in popular music serves as a transition between one state and another, although it can also lead to greater vocal and instrumental ease. Regarding its content, it generally reflects on some aspects of the lyrics of the previous song or even those that precede it, and advances towards a new state, which will be explored in the following ones. It is important to note that not all interludes have text, but some carry out this transition from one state to another through melodies.
The names of the songs are a very curious aspect, especially if we take a look at various compositions from the baroque to the present day. In the music of several centuries ago there were two common tendencies: to name the piece with the first words of its lyrics (for example, with the first verse ) or to assign it a name of technical appearance, consisting of the type of composition and a number of order (such as "prelude No. 4"). Nowadays, on the other hand, popular music composers often choose impressive titles that are not always found in the text.
The interlude in music therefore has more than one function: to more fluidly unite two pieces or parts of a work, to give the singers a few minutes to change, to generate a pause to modify the setting or even to allow the listener to "digest" a very dramatic part before continuing.
It is important to mention that the concept is also used beyond music . In its broadest sense, it is used with reference to an interruption in the development of an action or a process : “In the midst of the economic crisis, the government enjoyed an interlude of tranquility thanks to the positive report presented by the International Monetary Fund. ” , “After the interlude, the local team came out on the playing field much more active” , “The writer lived almost half a century in Spain, with an interlude of one year where he was based in Italy” .