recitatives

If in future the so-called recitatives are sung as I have asked Liszt to insist upon their being sung, the halting and freezing impression of whole, long passages will disappear, and the duration of the performance will be considerably shortened.

Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt Tr 1888

The other artifices of music, such as recitatives, echoes, the variety of movements, the order of cadences, the beauty of the melodies, the mixture of modes, the natural expression of the words and passions, they depend on the genius and the invention of the composer

MUSICAL GENIUS EDWARD E. LOWINSKY 1968

Ears may weary of the long recitatives and harmonically static arias, some recycled from earlier operas.

Rodney Punt: Griselda in Peter Sellars Production at Santa Fe Opera Rodney Punt 2011

His conducting and harpsichord playing also breathed with the singers, allowing them range in their arias and flexibility and urgency in their recitatives, while keeping the ensembles tight.

Ladies' Man Heidi Waleson 2011

Arwady's star role here was not particularly a gratifying one, with Vivaldi giving her few good arias and only contrite recitatives.

Rodney Punt: Griselda in Peter Sellars Production at Santa Fe Opera Rodney Punt 2011

Ears may weary of the long recitatives and harmonically static arias, some recycled from earlier operas.

Rodney Punt: Griselda in Peter Sellars Production at Santa Fe Opera Rodney Punt 2011

A three-hour chain of 36 arias and four duets with short recitatives, choruses and comic songs in between sung by five hopelessly mixed-up lovers can end up sounding like a parody of Handel.

A Season of Meager Delights David Littlejohn 2011

In contrast to the choral savagery, tenor Geoffrey Silver brought a quiet lyricism to the recitatives and arias depicting Christ's sorrow.

Tracing the Gospel With Renewed Vigor and Drama Heidi Waleson 2011

Happily, Mr. Luisi, who had never conducted the opera before, turned out to be a vigorous and skillful Mozart conductor—and, for an added plus, accompanied the recitatives on the harpsichord.

Ladies' Man Heidi Waleson 2011

A nineteenth century version, in Italian and with recitatives by Franz Lachner, is more familiar in recordings, and it was once a vehicle for soprano Maria Callas.

Rodney Punt: Medea Takes Revenge in an Abandoned Warehouse Rodney Punt 2011