Recitative and Aria

1. What is an Opera? Name some of the famous composers who wrote

operas.

An opera is a form of art in which characters who are singers move around the
stage, acting a part. It is usually a story, set to music and with scenery and
costumes. An Opera sounds best when performed at an opera house.

Many composers wrote operas but only a few made their works into triumphs.
Some of these composers were:

 Handel
 Mozart
 Haydn
 Verdi
 Monteverdi

2. What is an Oratorio? How is it different to the opera? Name some of the

famous composers who wrote Oratorios.

An oratorio is a large musical composition that is like an Opera but without the
costumes and acting. An oratorio is usually based on a sacred or religious
subject and should be performed in a concert hall or a church. The Oratorio
differs from the opera because it does not include acting and funny costumes.

Some of the famous composers who wrote oratorios were:

 Handel
 Haydn
 Mendelssohn
 Elgar
 Bach

3. How are Operas and Oratorios Performed?

Most of an Opera or Oratorio will be sung: Recitative. The words of the song are
very important. They may be used in rhythm like that of normal speech, the
singers’ voices rising and falling according to the importance of the words in the
sentence. The accompaniment may just be a few chords to create the key and
support the song. This is called recitativo secco. Recitativo Accompagnato or
stromentato is when the words are lifted into the regular bars with a running
accompaniment.

4. What does recitative mean?

Recitative means sung speech. This is when the singer sings a melody with a set
of words matching to it.

5. What is recitativo secco and recitativo accompagnato or stromentato?

Define both of these terms and describe how they are different and where
and how they are usually used in an opera.

A recitative secco is a part of the opera or oratorio when the accompaniment is

only a few chords or notes, helping to establish the key or rhythm. The recitative
accompagnato is when the words of the song can be fitted into regular bars with
a running accompaniment. These differ as the secco only uses a few instruments
for accompaniment whilst the accompagnato uses a whole orchestra.

The secco is accompanied by a variety of instruments, mostly plucked strings

with a small organ to provide sustained tone . It was used as an influence to areas
of music outside opera. The accompagnato is used in tense and dramatic
situation in the opera or oratorio.

6. Give an example of Secco and Accompagnato.

Secco: Stravinsky, The Rake’s progress

Accompagnato: Handel, Messiah

7. Look at page 54 of your textbook at Q2. Answer part (i).

(i) Which one is recitative secco? The first one

Which one is accompagnato? The second one

8. Is recitative only used in vocal music or can it also be used in

instrumental music? If so, give an example.

A recitative is usually only used in vocal music as recitative means ‘sung

speech’. However, there have been some compositions with pure recitative
instrumental phrases. The most famous of these is in Beethoven’s ninth
symphony.

9. What is an aria and where is it usually placed in an opera?

An aria is a song sung by a solo voice. In the aria, the melody is of primary
importance and the words are usually repeated to fit with the melody. The words
can be a comment on the events in the recitative or can express emotion felt by
the character. The aria gives the singer a good chance to show of his/her voice.
The aria is played after the recitative.

10: How is the aria related to the recitative? Are the words or the melody
the most important part?

The aria is related to the recitative because both of them can be found in operas
and oratorios. The melody is the most important part of the aria and the words
are often repeated to make it match the rhythm.

11. What are the different forms aria can be written in? Give examples of
each.

Aria can be written in many forms. These include:

 Binary-He shall feed his flock(Messiah by Handel)

 Ternary-Where e’er you walk(Semele by Handel)
 Rondo- I have lost my Euridice(Orfeo by Gluck)
 Verse and refrain- Softly awakes my heart(Samson and Delilah by Saint
Saens)

12. What is the Aria da capo? Give an example.

The aria da Capo is son gin ternary form. There was an opening section, a
contrasting episode and then a return (da capo) back to the opening which was
then sung with embellishments added to the fancy of the singer. An example of
such is Rejoice Greatly, from the Messiah by Handel.

13. Are arias only found in operas and oratorios?

Arias are not only found in operas and oratorios but also in smaller works such
as cantatas or as single pieces. Mozart, for instance, wrote many concert arias
for voice and orchestra.

14. What is the difference between air and aria?

The main difference between the air and aria is that an aria is almost always a
vocal piece whilst an air can be sung or played, and may be the basis of a set of
variations.