What is an embellishment in baroque music?

An embellishment in baroque music is an ornamental addition to a melody or harmonic progression. Embellishments were used to add variety and interest to a piece of music, and to show off the skill of the performer. Common embellishments included trills, mordents, turns, and appoggiaturas.

* Trills are rapid alternations between two notes, usually adjacent notes in the scale.

* Mordents are quick turns around a single note.

* Turns are rapid melodic figures that usually consist of three notes: the main note, the note above it, and the note below it.

* Appoggiaturas are non-harmonic notes that are played before the main note they embellish.

Embellishments were an essential part of baroque music, and they helped to create the unique sound and style of the era.