- Generally, this is a style of singing used in opera and oratorio for dialogue and some narrative which is more closely related to dramatic speech in pitch and rhythm than to song. Two main types exist: (1) recitative accompagnato or stromentato which is expressive and accompanied by the orchestra and (2) recitative secco which has only an occasional broken chord from the harpsichord or 'cellos (sometimes with the bass line reinforced by the double bass) and this was the accepted style in 18th and l9th century operas.?