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recitativo

[res-i-tuh-tee-voh; Italian re-chee-tah-tee-vaw]
noun, plural rec·i·ta·ti·vos, rec·i·ta·ti·vi [res-i-tuh-tee-vee; Italian re-chee-tah-tee-vee] /ˌrɛs ɪ təˈti vi; Italian ˌrɛ tʃi tɑˈti vi/, Music.
  1. recitative2.
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Origin of recitativo

Borrowed into English from Italian around 1610–20
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for recitativo

Historical Examples

  • The most important of all these improvements was the abandonment of recitativo secco.

    How Music Developed

    W. J. Henderson

  • The first of these was the recitativo secco, which means "dry recitative."

    How Music Developed

    W. J. Henderson

  • You will say that a Recitativo can be but a poor Specimen of our Music.

    Benjamin Franklin

    Frank Luther Mott

  • In his Matthew Passion and some of his cantatas the organist is to play short chords in recitativo secco.

    Bach

    Charles Francis Abdy Williams

  • The words I did not understand, and so know not how they are fitted, but believe very well, and all in the recitativo very fine.