Rigaudon is best described as which of the following?

• A. A slow Baroque dance in triple meter
• B. An operatic aria
• C. A modern orchestral prelude
• D. A quick 20th century dance written in double time

Answer: (D)

Rigaudon is a brisk Baroque dance driven by a fast tempo in a duple (double) meter. That combination—quick tempo and duple timing—is what the description in the best answer captures. The other options point to forms that don’t fit: a slow Baroque dance in triple meter would describe a sarabande, not Rigaudon; an operatic aria is a vocal solo; a modern orchestral prelude isn’t a dance; and labeling it as a 20th‑century piece would misplace its historical context. In music theory terms, Rigaudon’s energy and duple meter make the “quick … in double time” characterization the closest match among the choices.