AQA GCSE Music Practice Exam 2025 - Free Music Practice Questions and Study Guide

The compositional technique that involves using a single theme that is developed throughout a piece is thematic development. In this approach, a composer introduces a central theme or motif and then explores it by varying its elements—such as rhythm, harmony, dynamics, and texture—throughout the work. This technique allows for cohesive musical storytelling and creates a sense of unity as the listener hears different interpretations and transformations of the original theme.

Harmony refers to the combination of musical notes played simultaneously to create chords, which may support the theme but does not focus on its development. Improvisation is the spontaneous creation of music without pre-composed material, and while it can involve thematic elements, it doesn't specifically pertain to the structured development of a theme across a piece. Counterpoint involves the combination of independent melodies to create a harmonic texture, rather than focusing on a single theme and its variations.