Récit
A solo passage in French organ music.
What it means
Récit, in French organ music, designates a movement with a prominent solo voice: a melody is played on a manual of its own with a particular registration, while the accompaniment lies on another manual and in the pedal. The name also designates the division of an organ on which such solos are played — on more recent instruments usually the swell division. The designation goes back to narrating or reciting and points to the song-like character.
Musical use
The French organ tradition knows an elaborate system of named movement types, each connected with a particular registration. Récits exist for various solo stops, for instance for a reed stop or for a bright flute combination, and for various registers — solo in the treble, in the tenor, or in the bass. The musical appeal lies in the counterpoising of solo voice and accompaniment on separate keyboards, which allows a clarity that could not be achieved on one manual. In chorale arrangements the solo voice often carries the chorale melody.
Performance practice
Choose the registration so that the solo voice stands distinctly over the accompaniment but does not shout; check the relation from the nave. Keep the accompaniment calm and even and lead the solo voice in a song-like manner, with breathing places like a singer. Plan manual changes choreographically and practise them separately. With chorale arrangements, know the melody and text, because they prescribe organization and stress. On instruments without the presupposed stops, look for the closest colour at the right volume.
Bear in mind that the designation names both a division of the organ and a movement type: in French registration instructions it must therefore be checked whether the keyboard or the movement type is meant. For playing it holds to lead the solo voice in a song-like manner and to keep the accompaniment calm. French organs often have a manual of their own named Récit with solo stops.
Check whether the work calls for the solo voice in the treble, the tenor, or the bass, because the registration follows from that.