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Music vocabulary · Genres and Styles

Recitative

Meaning in music, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In music, recitative means: A vocal style, especially in opera and oratorio, that follows speech-like rhythms to convey dialogue or narrative.

In Turkish: resitatif

How it is used

Most common in classical vocal music. It often moves the story forward between arias and may be lightly or fully accompanied.

Example sentences

  1. In rehearsal, the soprano treated the recitative almost like spoken dialogue, focusing more on meaning than on long lyric tone.

    Here recitative means a speech-like sung passage where clear delivery of the text matters more than sustained melodic beauty.

  2. The conductor asked continuo players to keep the recitative flexible so the singer could shape each line naturally.

    In this example, recitative refers to a less strictly measured section that follows the singer's expressive pacing.

Common collocations

  • secco recitative
  • accompanied recitative
  • sing a recitative
  • classical musicThe tradition of Western art music, including symphonies, concertos, operas and chamber music, usually written down in detailed scores and performed by trained musicians.
  • orchestraA large group of musicians playing string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments together, usually led by a conductor.

More terms: Genres and Styles

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