Recitatives

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of vocal music that is sung in a rhythmic style resembling speech; an art form combining melody and dialogue to convey a narrative; a musical composition that often serves as a bridge in operatic or dramatic works, emphasizing the text's emotional delivery
2. A manner of singing that imitates natural speech patterns through rhythm and melody; a segment of performance where dialogue is expressed musically to enhance storytelling; a form of lyrical expression that prioritizes textual clarity while maintaining musicality within a larger composition
3. A style of singing characterized by free rhythm and a conversational tone that conveys the narrative; a technique used in operas to deliver text with dramatic emphasis; a form of musical storytelling that blends spoken word with melodic elements throughout a larger work

Etymology: "Recitatives" is the plural of "recitative", a noun for the sung-speech style used in opera and oratorio, where the singer follows the rhythm of speech rather than a fixed musical measure. The singular came into English from Italian "recitativo", which comes from "recitare", meaning "to recite" or "to declaim", and that in turn descends from the Latin "recitare", "to read aloud". The Latin verb is built from "re-", "again", and "citare", "to summon" or "to cite", so the original idea was of calling something back into the open, as in reading out a text. The Italian form carries the sense of recitation into music. A recitative was a passage meant to move the plot along quickly, with the accompaniment often kept minimal so the words stayed clear, and the singer delivering it could sound almost like a speaker. Opera composers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries relied on this contrast, setting dialogue and narration in recitative and saving fuller melodies, called arias, for moments of feeling. The plural form simply refers to the many such passages within a single work.

Synonyms: speech-like singing, declamatory singing