How is "phrasing" best described in music?

Phrasing in music is best described as the shaping and articulation of musical sentences. This concept involves how a musician expresses a musical idea, akin to how a speaker articulates the meaning of a sentence with appropriate pauses, emphasis, and inflection. It includes aspects such as where to breathe in a vocal line, how to emphasize certain notes or phrases, and how to create a sense of direction and flow within a piece of music.

This understanding of phrasing is crucial for interpretation and performance, as it contributes to the overall emotional and structural clarity of a musical work. It involves decisions about dynamics, tempo variations, and even physical gestures which enhance the musical narrative.

The other choices relate to important musical concepts but do not define phrasing. Tempo refers specifically to the speed at which a piece is performed. While dynamics can influence how phrasing is perceived, they are not the same; dynamics are about volume and intensity rather than the shaping of musical ideas themselves. The arrangement of notes in a scale refers to a foundational element of music theory and does not encompass the expressive qualities associated with phrasing.