A 17th century dance written in Quadruple time, always beginning on the third beat of the measure.

• A. Minuet
• B. Gavotte
• C. Courante
• D. Madrigal

Answer: (B)

Meter and phrasing patterns in Baroque dances help identify them. The gavotte is a 17th-century French dance written in quadruple time, and a defining feature is that its main musical idea tends to enter on the third beat of the measure, giving that characteristic push across bars. This combination—quadruple meter plus a recurring third-beat entry—sets it apart from the other options. The minuet lives in a triple meter and typically confirms its character from the downbeat; the courante moves quickly in triple time with a flowing, hopping motion rather than a third-beat emphasis; the madrigal is vocal music, not a dance, so it doesn’t fit the instrumental-dance pattern described.