récitatif

Forms

récitatif m (plural récitatifs)^[1] Spelled recitatif in the Académie's dictionary of 1694 and 1718, récitatif since 1740.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian recitativo, a noun of music since 1640 and before that an adjective, as in the title of Monteverdi's musical scherzi of 1632.^[2][3] The Italian word is from the verb recitare.^[4][5] According to the TLFi and the DHLF, the Italian adjective was itself probably taken, with a narrowed musical sense, from the Middle French adjective récitatif (“that relates something”), recorded in 1473 and formed on réciter.^[2][3][6] The French verb is borrowed from Latin recitō (“to read aloud”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1680 Mme de Sévigné used récitatifs in a letter in the sense “accounts, stories”, probably after the old French adjective.^[7][3] The musical sense is first recorded by Furetière in 1690: Les Italiens se vantent de mieux reüssir dans le recitatif de leur Opera, que les François (“The Italians boast that they succeed better than the French in the recitative of their opera”).^[2]

Semantic evolution

Borrowed from Italian in the second half of the 17th century, the word named a sung declamation that follows the rhythm and inflections of speech.^[3] In opera it denotes the passages sung in this way, as opposed to the air, after the Italian contrast of recitativo and aria.^[3] Its modern value was fixed at the beginning of the 19th century, with the development of opera after Mozart.^[3] By analogy it is also used of a descriptive or dramatic passage in an instrumental work, as Berlioz did of Beethoven's choral symphony.^[2]

Timeline

• 1473 – The Middle French adjective récitatif “relating something” is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1632 – Monteverdi's stile recitativo in Italian.^[2][3]
• 1640 – Italian recitativo is used as a noun in music.^[2][3]
• 1680 – Mme de Sévigné uses récitatifs for stories.^[7]
• 1690 – Furetière records the musical sense.^[2][4]
• 1740 – The Académie spells it with ré-.^[2]
• early 19th century – The modern operatic sense is fixed.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (music) recitative: in opera, oratorio and cantata, a sung déclamation whose melody and rhythm follow the inflections of speech: récitatif accompagné, in which the orchestra replaces the keyboard, récitatif obligé.^[8][2][9]
2. A piece for solo voice in declamatory style.^[10]
3. (music) By analogy, a descriptive or dramatic passage in an instrumental work.^[2]

Related words

• réciter
• récit
• récital
• Italian recitativo

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)