A Recital Is Usually One Performer, a Concert Is Many
A recital is a performance, usually by a soloist. The word also means a detailed account, from the verb to recite.
A recital is a musical performance, and the convention is fairly firm: a recital features a soloist or a soloist with accompanist, while a concert involves an ensemble or orchestra. Outside music the word keeps its older sense: a recital of the facts is a detailed listing, and in a contract the *recitals* are the introductory clauses setting out the background.
- A solo musical performance. *A piano recital.*
- A detailed account. *A recital of grievances.*
- Recitals — background clauses in a contract. *The recitals set out the parties' intentions.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | recital | An evening recital. |
| Plural | recitals | Student recitals. |
| Verb | recite | Recite a poem. |
| Noun | recitation | A recitation from memory. |
| Related | recitative | Recitative in opera. |
How it is used in a sentence
- She gave a recital at the Wigmore Hall.Solo performance.
- We were treated to a recital of everything that went wrong.Ironic use of the listing sense.
- The recitals explain why the agreement was made.Contract drafting.
Performance words
- Recital — usually a soloist
- Concert — an ensemble or orchestra
- Gig — informal, mainly popular music
- Matinee — an afternoon performance
- Encore — an extra piece after applause
From *recite*, from Latin *recitare*, to read out, from *re-* and *citare*, to summon — the same *citare* as in *cite* and *excite*.
Recital or concert?
A recital is normally a solo performance; a concert involves a group. The distinction is a convention, not a rule.
What are recitals in a contract?
Introductory paragraphs, often beginning with *whereas*, that explain the background. They are not usually binding terms.