A musical ornament where a dissonant note resolves downward by step to a consonant note, creating emotional tension and release. The dissonant note typically receives emphasis and takes time from the resolution note, creating expressive weight.
From Italian 'appoggiare,' meaning 'to lean upon,' describing how the dissonant note 'leans' into its resolution. This ornament became central to Baroque and Classical expression, with composers like Bach and Mozart using it to create moments of poignant beauty and emotional intensity.
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