Term, distinct from ‘recitative’, for a piece sung by a solo voice, in French 17th-century usage; it was later extended to embrace solo instrumental sections in larger works. In the 17th-century ballet de cour, a récit was usually placed at the beginning of each act, to serve as commentary. In organ music the term denotes a manual on the French classical organ, used for solo stops.
The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.
