Which term means sustained or held for a long duration?

• A. Giusto
• B. Marcato
• C. Sostenuto
• D. Unison

Answer: (C)

Sostenuto is about duration. It means to sustain or hold notes longer than normal, creating a connected, lingering line. In notation, you’ll see it used to instruct players to keep those notes sounding while other voices may continue more freely. It differs from marcato, which asks for a strong, accented, and more separated articulation; giusto refers to exact tempo or proper timing; and unison describes multiple players sounding the same pitch together, not how long a note lasts. On piano, it can also relate to the sostenuto pedal, which sustains selected notes while others are released, helping blend parts without over-sustaining everything.