Just words in song T Rice composed with A Lloyd Webber’s musical backing

• A style of vocal music
• A vocal passage of narrative text that a singer delivers with natural rhythms of speech
• Operatic song-speech

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "recitativo" ) is a style of delivery (much used in operas , oratorios , and cantatas ) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines as formally composed ...

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"style of musical declamation intermediate between speech and singing, form of song resembling declamation," 1650s, from Italian recitativo , from recitato , past participle of recitare , from Latin recitare "read out, read aloud" (see recite ). From 1640s ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
a. of a recital n. (context music English) dialogue, in an opera etc, that, rather than being sung as an aria, is reproduced with the rhythms of normal speech, often with simple musical accompaniment or harpsichord continuo, serving to expound the plot

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Recitative \Rec`i*ta*tive"\, a. Of or pertaining to recitation; intended for musical recitation or declamation; in the style or manner of recitative. -- Rec`i*ta*tive"ly , adv.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Word definitions in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
noun EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ Although there is once again some interfering aspirates, some improvement is noticeable, and the text in recitatives is better delivered. ▪ Mozart received the libretto in advance and composed some of the recitatives in Salzburg. ...