Which term describes the rhythmic-melodic technique where a tune is repeated with variations?

• A. Theme and variations
• B. Canon (round)
• C. Fugue
• D. Rondo

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is repeating a tune with changes while keeping the original melody recognizable. In a theme and variations approach, a clear theme is presented, and then several subsequent sections rework that same tune in different ways—altering rhythm, tempo, harmony, dynamics, or orchestration—so the melody remains identifiable even as its character shifts. This contrasts with other forms: a canon has voices imitating the same melody at a fixed interval without variation; a fugue develops a subject through intricate counterpoint across multiple voices; a rondo keeps returning a main theme but intersperses contrasting episodes without systematically varying the tune itself. So, the technique of restating a tune with deliberate variations best matches theme and variations.