Prelude may refer to:

A prelude (Germ. Präludium or Vorspiel; Lat. praeludium; Fr. prélude; It. preludio) is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude may be thought of as a preface. While, during the Baroque era, for example, it may have served as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that were usually longer and more complex, it may also have been a standalone piece of work during the Romantic era. It generally features a small number of rhythmic and melodic motifs that recur through the piece.