Which of the following best describes an incomplete neighbor tone?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

An incomplete neighbor tone (also called an escape tone or échappée) is approached by step and left by a leap.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Embellishing (nonchord) tones decorate a chord tone by brief deviation and return.
- Neighbor tones specifically leave a chord tone to a neighboring pitch and then move away or return.
- Types: complete neighbor (approached and left by step, returning to the original chord tone), appoggiatura (approached by leap, left by step), and escape tone/incomplete neighbor (approached by step, left by leap).

2. Step-by-step reasoning
- Start with a chord tone (the stable pitch).
- If the melody moves from that chord tone by a step to a nonchord pitch (a second up or down), that motion is a step approach.
- If the next motion departs the nonchord pitch by a leap (a third or larger) to a subsequent chord tone (often in the opposite direction of the approach), the nonchord pitch functions as an incomplete neighbor (escape) tone.
- This pattern (step in → leap out) is the defining motion-quality for the incomplete neighbor.

3. Intermediate steps and a concrete melodic example
- Suppose the chord tone is C:
  1) C (chord tone) → D (step up; D is a nonchord tone) — approach by step.
  2) D → B (leap down a third or larger; B is a chord tone) — departure by leap.
- The nonchord D is therefore an incomplete neighbor: approached by step, left by leap.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- The essential distinction lies in how the nonchord tone is entered and exited. The incomplete neighbor’s identity is defined precisely by approach-by-step and departure-by-leap, matching the provided choice.

5. Why the other options are incorrect
- "Approached and left by a leap": that would be neither a neighbor nor a typical embellishment pattern; appoggiatura is approached by leap but left by step, so this option is wrong.
- "Occurs after an anticipation": an anticipation is a different nonchord tone class (a chord tone sounded early); it’s defined by timing, not by step/leap approach/exit.
- "Occurs after a suspension": a suspension involves a tied note resolving by step downward (preparation–suspension–resolution) and is structurally different.

6. Conclusion
- Therefore, the incomplete neighbor tone is best described as "an embellishing tone that is approached by a step and left by a leap," confirming the provided answer.

Which of the following best describes an incomplete neighbor tone? Single choice

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