Which description defines a tonal sequence?

• A. First segment is transposed but kept in diatonic scale
• B. Second segment is exact intervallic transposition
• C. Second segment moves to a different tonal center
• D. Only part of first segment is transposed

Answer: (A)

A tonal sequence repeats a melodic idea by transposing it to another pitch level while remaining in the same key, so all notes stay within the diatonic scale. Describing the first segment as being transposed but kept in the diatonic scale fits this idea exactly: the fragment shifts up or down but stays within the key, preserving the scale’s steps. If the sequence moves to a different tonal center, that would be modulation rather than a tonal (diatonic) sequence. So this description best captures the characteristic approach of a tonal sequence.