Which term is described as 'loud then immediately soft'?

• A. Fortepiano
• B. Tremolo
• C. Accent
• D. Slur

Answer: (C)

The effect described is about giving a note a quick, focused emphasis at the moment it starts. An accent marks that immediate emphasis, making the onset louder than the surrounding texture and then letting the note settle back to the normal dynamic. That sharp attack followed by a return to softness is what listeners often hear as “loud then immediately soft.” Tremolo involves rapid repetition, which isn’t about a single note’s onset; a slur indicates smooth, connected phrasing; fortepiano literally means to play loud and then soft, which is a different, more sustained dynamic instruction. So the accent best captures the idea of a sudden louder attack that quickly relaxes.