A public performance of music, poetry, or dance, typically by a solo performer or small group. It can also refer to a detailed account or enumeration of facts or events.
From French 'récital', derived from 'réciter' meaning 'to recite', ultimately from Latin 'recitare' (re- 'back' + citare 'to call'). The musical performance sense developed in the 19th century, originally describing solo piano performances.
The word 'recital' was actually coined by Franz Liszt in 1840 when he wanted to distinguish his solo piano performances from concerts featuring multiple performers. Before this, solo performances were considered too presumptuous, as the word implied that one person alone could 'recite' an entire evening's entertainment to an audience.
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