Heterophony is a musical texture characterized by which description?

• A. Several independent melodies occur simultaneously
• B. A single melody with simultaneous varied ornamentation by several performers
• C. A melody with a distinct counter-melody in another voice
• D. A single instrument playing without accompaniment

Answer: (B)

Heterophony occurs when several performers share a single melodic idea and decorate it differently at the same time. Each player adds their own ornaments, timing shifts, or rhythmic variations to the same tune, producing a unified line that sounds slightly different across performers. This describes a melody with simultaneous varied ornamentation by multiple performers.

The other descriptions point to different textures: several independent melodies sounding together is polyphony; a separate counter-melody in another voice describes counterpoint or homophony with a distinct secondary line; and a single instrument playing without accompaniment is monophony.