I. |res(ə)tə|tēv adjective
Etymology: Italian recitativo, n.
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of recitative — distinguished from ariose
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Italian recitativo, from recitare to recite (from Latin) + -ivo -ive
1.
a. : a vocal passage, part, or performance in which a singer delivers a narrative text (as in opera or oratorio) in a declamatory and rhetorical manner and which is characterized by freedom from strict form in its tonal and metrical structure and by speechlike recitation instead of flowing melody
b. : a composition intended to be sung as a recitative — compare aria
c. : a passage of instrumental music in the style of a recitative
2. : recitation
a long, leisurely recitative about curates at teas — Anne Fremantle