The word recapitulation is, of course, used in everyday (non-musical) life, although it's more common in its abbreviated form ("recap"). In music, it actually has more or less the same meaning, but I need to explain the background a bit before I get to that.
Strictly, a musical recapitulation is part of a piece of music that's written in sonata form. Sonata Form is a type of musical structure (or “form”) often used in the first movement of a sonata, symphony or concerto in the Classical period (Mozart, Haydn etc.). It's also used in other movements, other types of work and later periods. Key relationships are the basis of sonata form - you need to know what the tonic and dominant keys are (if the tonic key is minor, the relative major is often used in place of the dominant). In general, the tonic key is the key of the whole piece. For example, in Mozart's Symphony no. 40 in G minor, whose first movement is in sonata form, the tonic key is G minor. The dominant would be D, but because the tonic is a minor key, its relative major - i.e. B flat major - is used instead of the dominant.)
Sonata form has 4 sections: exposition, development, recapitulation and coda. I will list the traditional features of each, but it goes without saying that there are many, many variations to these, particularly in later works.
1. Exposition
• 1st subject (i.e. tune) in tonic key
• 2nd subject in dominant (or relative major) key
• Sometimes there are other subjects (= tunes) as well
• Often subjects are repeated
• The exposition section often ends at the first repeat mark
2. Development
Usually (but not always) this starts with 1st subject in dominant (or relative major) key. Then “plays around” with both subjects, usually modulating through lots of new keys. The development section is usually quite long. Often there will be a dominant pedal towards the end of it, preparing for the recapitulation.
3. Recapitulation
• 1st subject returns in tonic key (it will have been heard in various forms during the development section, but its return in the tonic key signals the recapitulation).
• 2nd subject returns in tonic key (note that in the exposition section, the 2nd subject was in the dominant or relative major key).
4. Coda
This is the end bit. Sometimes it's very short, sometimes it's so long it’s almost a second Development section. In a concerto, the coda usually starts after the cadenza.
Even though there are very few well-known choral works written in actual sonata form (i.e. I can't currently think of any!), the concepts are used in many pieces, particularly those that use classical styles even though they were written during the romantic period. The obvious example is Mendelssohn, who is well-known for reviving interest in Bach's music (which, of course, predates sonata form), but also had lots of classical characteristics in his work. In Lobgesang (Symphony no. 2, which we sang in the summer), my favourite movement (Die Nacht ist Vergangen) has some similarities with sonata form, and it's that movement that made me think of writing about recapitulations.
I know that many of you will have your own copy of the score, but for those who don't, I'll include a few brief examples to show you what I'm talking about. It's the movement that starts with the joyous intro riff (that was likened at one point to a Highland fling!):
The 1st subject (at least, that's what I'm calling it) enters almost immediately. The brass have it, then the tenors and basses, and finally the sopranos:
Shortly afterwards, we get what I'm calling the 2nd subject:
If this movement really was in sonata form, there would probably be a repeat mark at this point to show the end of the exposition, and then the development section would start. However, it's NOT in sonata form, and at this point Mendelssohn brings in a 3rd subject:
He plays around with this for quite a while, and it feels a little bit like a development section (except that it isn't a real one, because it doesn't include the 1st and 2nd subjects). However, after a while we get something that initially looks like ANOTHER new subject... except that it's actually too similar to the 2nd subject to be described as totally new.
A few bars after this not-quite-2nd-subject returns, there's a huge crescendo, and the sopranos go up a chromatic scale until they culminate in two whole bars singing A. At this point - HURRAH! Recapitulation! (I used to always teach my pupils that Recapitulation = HURRAH! because that's exactly the feeling it engenders.) The tenors come blazing in with a fortissimo statement of the 1st subject, in the tonic key of D major. To reinforce it, the intro figure is played underneath - the first time this figure has been heard for quite some time.
We don't quite get all the rest of the sonata form bits - a proper recapitulation would have the 2nd subject in the tonic key at this point, and we don't here - but we DO get a bit where the upper three parts sing the RHYTHM of the 2nd subject together, followed by a coda-type section based on the 3rd subject. Then we get a proper coda, in which the sops sing the 1st subject twice (with the intro figure returning in the orchestra in between - again, this stopped when the 1st subject did), and there are a few more brief recaps of the start of the 1st subject, as the movement gradually fades towards its end.
That was much longer than I intended (why do I always do this to myself?!? I only really wanted to explain what a recapitulation feels like (i.e. HURRAH!) That way, when you sing one, you'll be aware that if you have the tune at that point, you are IMPORTANT! It feels better that way :-)
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