What is a round?

• A. A gradual slowing down.
• B. A curved line connecting identical pitches.
• C. A simple cyclic canon where voices enter in imitation.
• D. A way to indicate soft playing.

Answer: (C)

Rounds are a simple cyclic canon where all voices sing the same melody but enter at different times. The effect is overlapping entrances that line up after a set interval, so the tune keeps repeating and can continue indefinitely as voices imitate one another. A classic example is Row, Row, Row Your Boat, where new groups join in at regular pauses and the same tune keeps circulating.

This isn’t about slowing down the music, which would be a ritardando. It also isn’t describing a curved line that connects identical pitches, which is a tie used to hold a note. And it isn’t about playing softly, which would be indicated by a dynamic marking for volume.