Recitative is a term I first learned about in Theatre History while our class lecture detailed opera. It refers to the spoken dialogue of the opera singers, as opposed to the arioso and aria which are the peaks, so to speak (think "Un bel di vedremo" when you think of arias ie you should youtube the aria, particularly with Maria Callas because it is awesome).
It's an important term to me as a writer, and one with a penchant and love for writing scripts, because I've adopted the term to refer to the moments in a show that are not climatic moments. Aristotelian theatre structure would possibly refer to these moments as rising action or falling action, but I use recitative. Why? Because it serves my criticism slightly more accurately than the Aristotelian terms (or I'm just difficult. Also, because "Downton Abbey."
Many that know me know that I have a very substantial disdain for "Downton Abbey." For me, it is a show that attracts intellectuals but is not intellectual. It's actually the opposite. It is "The OC" essentially, but because the actors have British accents and wears suits and dresses in a manor it has become lumped with the idea of thought provoking. It's not.
I know of several critics of "Downton Abbey," oddly enough mostly British. Simon Schama lamented the lack of accuracy in the show. Accuracy doesn't bother me so much. What bothers me is structure, dialogue, characterization; the mechanics that are at best simplistic and direct (in season 1 particularly) and at worst dreadfully overdramatic as it panders to the basic impulses of its (American) viewers.
By mechanics I refer to how it presents its climactic drama. The show I often compare it with is "Mad Men" which also shows dramatic moments and to the once a time viewer seems soap operatic. I strongly disagree with this critique of "Mad Men" because unlike "Downton Abbey," "Mad Men" has recitative. It has spoken moments, as opposed to just arias.
See, "Downton Abbey" is a show that doesn't relent on dramatic, climactic moments. It's as if one is watching an opera that is all aria. Arias are great and are often transcendent (once again, listen to "Un bel di vedremo") but if there is no recitative the aria is meaningless. An all aria show translated to modern rock music would be like grindcore, like Napalm Death: an onslaught.
This is "Downton Abbey"; it is a grindcore all aria opera. Dramatic and climactic events happen all the damn time on the show. Worst of all is the seemingly random choices the writer (s) make with the death of characters. One character dies of miscarriage; that happens, but is it the right choice? Or killing a character in a car accident? Just because it could happen doesn't mean you should write an event like that.
A great show (a great work of art really) requires dynamism, it requires peaks and troughs, it requires arias and recitative. In a script it requires rising action, build-up, dialogue that sets up characters as full individuals with self-interests and motivations. That seems basic, but "Downton Abbey" (and many other shows) neglect these imperative elements in quality screenwriting. A show needs this balance of recitative and aria to make the aria, the climax, memorable.
Let's get back to "Mad Men." When you describe "Mad Men" it seems a soap opera but because the writers employ a dynamic style the show is able to balance the climactic arias with recitative that builds motivation and character relationships. In technical style, "Mad Men" doesn't pander; there's no underscore of sweeping strings during climactic moments. There's moments of genuine humor, of characters relating to each other and building relationships but it creates climactic moments that when they swell they truly swell and remain memorable because of a) its buildup through recitative and b) its special quality in relation to its place in the episode/work.
An all-aria work of art, in particular an episode of a television show, the climax or dramatic moments feel diluted and become meaningless. I am reminded of Emily Dickinson and her theory of deprivation; Dickinson felt deprivation is necessary because when one was deprived of something that something feels more important. Imagine eating your favorite food every day; chances are you'll get tired of it. There's a reason after college ramen noodles are wretched to you now.
This same principle of deprivation applies to art as well. Too much aria a la "Downton Abbey" makes those special, climatic moments not special anymore. That's why shows need recitative.
"Mad Men" is better than "Downton Abbey" is really what I'm trying to say.
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