What is articulation?

• A. An imitation after a delay.
• B. A simple cyclic canon.
• C. The manner of playing notes, including attack and release.
• D. Gradually getting softer.

Answer: (C)

Articulation is about how a note is started and released—the attack and release. It determines the character of a note and how it connects to the next one, shaping the phrasing and expressiveness of a passage. That’s why describing articulation as the manner of playing notes, including attack and release, is the most accurate answer. Marks like staccato, legato, accents, and tenuto all guide these nuances, directing exactly how the note should begin and end. The other choices describe different musical ideas—repetition after a delay is a technique of imitation, a simple cyclic canon is a form, and gradually getting softer refers to dynamics—so they don’t capture what articulation governs.