Which statement best describes consonance in harmony?

• A. Consonant: stability, pleasing sounding; harmony
• B. Dissonant: unpleasant or harsh sounding
• C. A tone cluster is inherently consonant
• D. Dissonance equals no sound at all

Answer: (A)

Consonance is about stability and a pleasing blend in harmony. When tones fit together in consonant intervals or chords, the sound feels settled and smooth, giving a sense of rest in the music. That sense of rest and harmony is what the statement describes best: consonant means stable and pleasing together. In contrast, dissonance creates tension and a sense that something needs to resolve, which is the opposite of consonance. A tone cluster often sounds rough or unstable rather than inherently consonant, and dissonance does not mean there is no sound at all—it's about the quality of the sound being tense or unstable, not its absence.