Which term denotes a brief, silent pause?

Which term denotes a brief, silent pause?

• A. Blend
• B. Chorale
• C. Cesura
• D. Cadence

Answer: (C)

A caesura denotes a brief, silent pause in a musical line. It marks a moment of space where performers stop momentarily, often to create dramatic effect or to take a breath, without the silence being counted as part of the measure. This is different from a cadence, which is about the harmonic ending of a phrase and not about a literal pause in the music. Blend and chorale refer to other musical ideas (mixture of sounds, or a type of hymn), not pauses. So the term for a brief silent pause is caesura.

A caesura denotes a brief, silent pause in a musical line. It marks a moment of space where performers stop momentarily, often to create dramatic effect or to take a breath, without the silence being counted as part of the measure. This is different from a cadence, which is about the harmonic ending of a phrase and not about a literal pause in the music. Blend and chorale refer to other musical ideas (mixture of sounds, or a type of hymn), not pauses. So the term for a brief silent pause is caesura.