Which term describes a sustained note while chords change above it, a technique often discussed in Baroque practice?

Which term describes a sustained note while chords change above it, a technique often discussed in Baroque practice?

• A. Stretto
• B. Ritornello
• C. Pedal point
• D. Mirror inversion

Answer: (C)

Pedal point is the idea here: a single pitch is held sustained while the chords above it move. In Baroque practice this often shows up as a bass note or organ pedal that underpins changing harmonies, giving the music a grounding anchor as the upper voices explore different progressions. For example, keep the bass on C while the harmony moves through C major, F major, G7, and back to C major—the sustained C remains constant even as the chords change. This phenomenon is distinct from the other terms: stretto involves overlapping entries in a fugue, ritornello refers to recurring material, and mirror inversion is about flipping melodic intervals. So the sustained note under changing chords fits pedal point perfectly.

Pedal point is the idea here: a single pitch is held sustained while the chords above it move. In Baroque practice this often shows up as a bass note or organ pedal that underpins changing harmonies, giving the music a grounding anchor as the upper voices explore different progressions. For example, keep the bass on C while the harmony moves through C major, F major, G7, and back to C major—the sustained C remains constant even as the chords change. This phenomenon is distinct from the other terms: stretto involves overlapping entries in a fugue, ritornello refers to recurring material, and mirror inversion is about flipping melodic intervals. So the sustained note under changing chords fits pedal point perfectly.