Which of the following is a characteristic of the Baroque period?

The characteristic of terraced dynamics is indeed a hallmark of the Baroque period. This refers to the abrupt changes in volume, where music might shift quickly from loud to soft levels rather than the gradual crescendos and decrescendos that are more typical of later styles, particularly the Classical era. In the Baroque period, composers like J.S. Bach and Vivaldi often wrote music that involved these sharp contrasts, enhancing the dramatic effect of the compositions.

Terraced dynamics provided the music with a sense of immediacy and intensity, which suited the expressive nature of the period. Additionally, this approach complements the overall ornamentation and complexity found in Baroque music, as it adds to the physicality and emotional depth of the performance, allowing both performers and listeners to engage deeply with the material.

Other characteristics, such as the reliance on cadence points or homophonic texture, while present to some extent, do not convey the same distinctive feature of the Baroque style as terraced dynamics do.