How does an appoggiatura typically resolve in musical composition?

An appoggiatura is a non-harmonic tone that typically occurs on a strong beat, creating a moment of tension before resolving to a consonant note. The resolution of an appoggiatura usually happens by step, meaning that it moves directly to the adjoining note in the scale. This creates a smooth and effective transition that enhances the harmonic structure of the music.

This practice is prevalent in both classical and contemporary compositions, where the appoggiatura typically acts as a leading tone, creating a desire to resolve to a more stable pitch. The stepwise motion provides a sense of continuity and direction to the melodic line.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the conventional resolution of an appoggiatura. For instance, resolving by leap would involve skipping over notes rather than moving directly to the nearest chord tone, while resting or holding the note would fail to provide the necessary resolution, leaving the tension unresolved. Thus, the stepwise resolution is intrinsic to the function of an appoggiatura within musical phrasing.