What do you call a musical piece written for a solo performance? Is it an aria or a recitative? If you do not know the answer to this question or these terms sound foreign, the best thing you can do is have a comprehensive understanding of aria vs recitative.
An aria is a musical piece composed of a solo voice accompanied by an orchestra in an opera or cantata. In contrast, a recitative is a dialogue in an opera reproduced with the rhythms of ordinary speech and often accompanied by simple music. The purpose of a recitative is to expound a plot.
Aria and recitative are terms commonly used in musical contexts. If you’ve been in musical classes, these words might not be new to you, and learning about them is pretty interesting. Read on to learn a lot about these words, especially their meaning, application in various contexts, and differences.
Definitions Of Aria And Recitative
You do not have to be a musical expert to be interested in the words “aria” and “recitative.” According to philosophy, knowledge is power; knowing what you do not think you need is better than not knowing it. So, learning the definitions for “aria” and “recitative” would be wise. Here are the definitions for each word:
Definition Of Aria
Aria is a musical piece composed specially for a solo piece to be performed with an orchestral accompaniment in a cantata or opera. Here is an example in a sentence, “Jamal wrote the aria for Stacy to perform at the Universal Recital.”
Another definition for aria is an original melody not necessarily performed by a singer. For example, in a sentence, “The choir could not perform the piece because Samuel composed it as an aria.”
An aria is also an elaborate song for a solo voice or long accompanied music for a solo voice, usually in an opera or oratorio. In a sentence, “Kathy spent hours rehearsing the aria but never got to perform it.”
The word is derived from the Italian language, which means “air” or “a pleasing succession of musical tones forming a brief aesthetic unit,” also called a melody, tune, or strain. In Greek, “aria” means “lioness.” In Greek mythology, Aria was the name of a Crete woman who bore a son called Milito’s with Apollo. On the other hand, in Persian, aria means “noble.”
The pronunciation for this word is “are-a,” and it has three syllables divided as “a-ri-a.” Therefore, you should stress the first syllable when pronouncing the word.
Definition Of Recitative
Recitative is a musical dialogue in opera reproduced with normal speech rhythms and sometimes accompanied by a harpsichord continuo or another instrument. In simpler terms, a recitative is a specific dialogue delivery with special rhythms or lines.
Here is a sentence example, “The recitative did not do a good job in expounding the opera’s plot.” The lines in a recitative are composed so they do not repeat, and its purpose is usually to expound a plot in an opera.
Another definition for a recitative is “a species of musical recitation where you deliver words like an ordinary declamation.” More so, “a piece of music intended for such recitation.” In simpler words, a recitative is a vocal passage of narrative text delivered by a singer with a natural speech rhythm. For example, in a sentence, “The passionate lady delivered the recitative most emotionally.”
The word originates from the Italian term “recitativo,” meaning “form of music representing a declamation.” The Italians translated this word from “recitato,” and from Latin “recitare,” meaning “to read out or aloud.”
This word has four syllables, “rec-i-ta-tive.” When pronouncing this word, you should emphasize the primary syllable stress “tive” and the secondary syllable stress “rec.” So, the correct pronunciation for “recitative” is “rĕsĭ-tātĭv.”
How To Properly Use Aria And Recitative In A Sentence
Since these words’ meanings are all related to music, their application context is quite simple. However, the tips below may still help you use them correctly in sentences:
How And When To Use Aria
Use this word in a sentence as the noun for a musical piece composed of a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment. Also, when using this word in a sentence, do not forget to spell it correctly. Also, do not neglect grammar rules.
How And When To Use Recitative
Use this word in a sentence in the following contexts:
- Referring to something or someone’s character as being a recital or showing recitation. For example, in a sentence, “Matthew’s performance is the perfect example of a recitative person.”
- As a noun for a vocal passage of narrative text, the narrative comes from a singer with a natural speech rhythm.
Do not forget basic grammar rules, like correct spelling and noun placement in a sentence. Note that the adjective form for recitative is “recital.” Here is how you can use it in a sentence, “Performing at the recital was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life.”
Word Vs Word Posts
Aria vs. Recitative: Comparing These Words
An aria and a recitative are musical compositions delivered by a solo singer. Besides this, they do not have another similarity. However, they do have significant differences.
The first difference is that a recitative is a specific dialog delivery with a special rhythm and non-repetitive lines. In contrast, an aria is a musical composition. Therefore, it has all the basic elements of music, including repetitive lines.
Another difference is that composers write recitatives for specific performances. In contrast, an aria is an original melody that a singer does not have to perform.
Also, a recitative usually involves dialogues, while an aria does not. Arias are a recent music phenomenon, and singers still perform them in operas. However, recitatives were popular in the 14th century. In recent years, there has been no recorded performance of a recitative.
Examples Of Aria And Recitative Use In Sentences
Using these words may seem unnatural if you are not a musician. Also, you may struggle with their application because they are not common words. So, you may not even find great examples of how you can use them in sentences. Worry not because this section has got you covered. Here are example sentences featuring the words “aria” and “recitative.”
Example sentences of aria
- The aria was the best part of the recital.
- James performed one of the most emotional arias at the recital.
- Jean-Paul is a fantastic aria composer, but he does not let singers perform his compositions.
- Maria spent an hour rehearsing the aria but did not get a chance to perform it on stage.
- After Mark’s death, his manager discovered dozens of original arias he composed and never performed or shared with others.
Example sentences of recitative
- The team performed the dialogue as a recitative.
- The opera made more sense to the audience after the recitative section.
- John is not the most likable person, but his recitative moved the crowd during his performance at the opera.
- We waited for hours only to perform one section of the recitative.
- The lights went out before we could complete the recitative performance.
Conclusion
As of this date, English is the most common and popular language globally. The language features 26 letters of the alphabet, and more than multiple words are formed from these letters. Therefore, it is only natural that some of these words have similar spellings and meanings.
Our goal is to clarify confusing English words in various contexts, including music, medicine, and everyday conversations. So, after reading this article, we hope you understand the meanings, similarities, and differences of “aria” and “recitative.”
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.