Which musical texture involves multiple independent melodies occurring simultaneously?

The choice of polyphonic texture is accurate because this musical texture is characterized by the presence of multiple independent melodies that occur simultaneously. In polyphony, each melody, or voice, maintains its individual identity while harmonizing with the others, creating a rich and intricate musical fabric. This is often seen in compositions from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, where different voices weave together, sometimes in counterpoint, to enhance the overall complexity and depth of the music.

In contrast, monophonic texture consists of a single melodic line without any harmonic support or additional melodies. Homophonic texture features a primary melody accompanied by chords or other subordinate melodies, which do not operate independently as in polyphony. Chordal texture is similar to homophonic texture, typically emphasizing chords rather than independent melodic lines. Thus, the distinctiveness of polyphonic texture lies in its ability to feature multiple independent melodies simultaneously, which is not represented in the other options.