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rec·i·ta·tive1 
Audio Help [res-i-tey-tiv, ri-sahy-tuh-] Pronunciation Key
Audio Help [res-i-tey-tiv, ri-sahy-tuh-] Pronunciation Key –adjective
| pertaining to or of the nature of recital. |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
recitative
To learn more about recitative visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
rec·i·ta·tive2
Audio Help [res-i-tuh-teev] Pronunciation Key Music.
Audio Help [res-i-tuh-teev] Pronunciation Key Music. –adjective
–noun
| 1. | of the nature of or resembling recitation or declamation. |
| 2. | a style of vocal music intermediate between speaking and singing. |
| 3. | a passage, part, or piece in this style. |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
| rec·i·ta·tive 1
Audio Help (rěs'ĭ-tā'tĭv, rĭ-sī'tə-tĭv) Pronunciation Key
adj. Of, relating to, or having the character of a recital or recitation. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
| rec·i·ta·tive 2
Audio Help (rěs'ĭ-tə-tēv' rěch'-) Pronunciation Key
n. In both senses also called recitativo.
[Italian recitativo, from recitare, to recite, from Latin recitāre; see recite.] |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
recitative
1645, from It. recitativo, from recitato, pp. of recitare, from L. recitare (see recite). Style of musical declamation intermediate between speech and singing. The It. form of the word was used in Eng. from 1617.
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| recitative | |
noun | |
| a vocal passage of narrative text that a singer delivers with natural rhythms of speech |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
recitative [(res-i-tuh-teev)]
A part of a cantata, opera, or oratorio in which singers converse, describe action, or declaim. It moves the action forward between the high musical moments. Recitatives are distinguished from arias, which are more expressive and musically more elaborate. Recitatives usually have only one syllable of text for each note of music, and the accompaniment by instruments is often very simple.
[Chapter:] Fine Arts
| The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
recitative
Me*lis"ma\, n.; pl. Melismata. [NL., fr. Gr. ? a song.] (Mus.) (a) A piece of melody; a song or tune, -- as opposed to recitative or musical declamation. (b) A grace or embellishment.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Recitative
Rec`i*ta*tive"\, n. [It. recitativo, or F. r['e]citatif. See Recite.] (Mus.) A species of musical recitation in which the words are delivered in manner resembling that of ordinary declamation; also, a piece of music intended for such recitation; -- opposed to melisma.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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