Corsica

Source: Ignazio Macchiarella

Multipart singing can be found in the whole area of Corsica.

On the Spreading of Multipart Singing in Corsica

In Corsica, nowadays, multipart singing is spread all over the island. Tipically it is in three vocal parts, in a vertical/chordal dimension with a special contrapuntal relationship between the two upper parts. Each part is realized by a single singer with special competences (it is exclusive polyphony, a numerus clausus), traditionally male (women polyphonies are a recent innovation). The parts are called: a sigonda (the leader voice, that begins the performance, determining the tune and proposing entirely the text), a terza (over the sigonda, characterized by a special ornamental function, in a sort of flowering conterpoint with the sigonda) and bassu (the lowest voice that has an harmonic function, fixing the basic notes of the chords). Neverthless, two parallel parts polyphony may be found in religious text performances, expecially during processions and paraliturgical cerimonies.

Today's multipart singing in Corsica owes much to u riacquistu, a socio/political and cultural moviment of the 70s and 80s of the 20th century engaged in a renaissance of the language and the traditional specifity of the Island (actually, the field researches of Felix Quilici and others before that period witnessed a general disapparence of the multipart singing, ristricted to few small villages in a mountain areas of the centre-north - see Goffre 1997).
There is a basic distinction between the singing in paghjella and à paghiella : the first (cantu in paghjella) indicates generally the practice of three parts singing (sigonda, terza and bassu) that could be used with different types of text (i.e. messa in paghjella means three parts Mass); the latter (cantu à paghjella) refers to the specific repertory of the paghjella, three part singing with secular text (often with loving, civil or political themes).
Due to the depopulation of the Island (expecially in the internal areas) it is now difficult to identify single local repertoires or stylistic features. A recognized distinction is the one between northern and southern styles, but the terms and the border lines of this distinction are not clear.

 

A selected bibliography of sound recordings and literature on multipart singing in Corsica (France)

Compiled by Ignazio Macchiarella: 2005.

Introduction

In Corsica, nowadays, multipart singing is spread all over the island. Tipically it is in three vocal parts, in a vertical/chordal dimension with a special contrapuntal relationship between the two upper parts. Each part is realized by a single singer with special competences (it is exclusive polyphony, a numerus clausus), traditionally male (women polyphonies are a recent innovation). The parts are called: a sigonda (the leader voice, that begins the performance, determining the tune and proposing entirely the text), a terza (over the sigonda, characterized by a special ornamental function, in a sort of flowering conterpoint with the sigonda) and bassu (the lowest voice that has an harmonic function, fixing the basic notes of the chords). Neverthless, two parallel parts polyphony may be found in religious text performances, expecially during processions and paraliturgical cerimonies.

Today’s multipart singing in Corsica owes much to u riacquistu, a socio/political and cultural moviment of the 70s and 80s of the 20th century engaged in a renaissance of the language and the traditional specifity of the Island (actually, the field researches of Felix Quilici and others before that period witnessed a general disapparence of the multipart singing, ristricted to few small villages in a mountain areas of the centre-north – see Goffre 1997).

There is a basic distinction between the singing in paghjella and à paghiella : the first (cantu in paghjella) indicates generally the practice of three parts singing (sigonda, terza and bassu) that could be used with different types of text (i.e. messa in paghjella means three parts Mass); the latter ( cantu à paghjella) refers to the specific repertory of the paghjella, three part singing with secular text (often with loving, civil or political themes).

Due to the depopulation of the Island (expecially in the internal areas) it is now difficult to identify single local repertoires or stylistic features. A recognized distinction is the one between northern and southern styles, but the terms and the border lines of this distinction are not clear.
The following biblio-discography is a work in progress. All contributions are wellcome: please, write to Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Discography

(The following list doesn’t include the many discos recorded by stable polyphonic groups with eminently commercial aims; this production will be considered in another special discography)


A Settimana Santa in Figarella. Kalliste S 21045.

Berlinghi, F. 1990. Corse. Musiques sacrées. Settimana Santa in Bunifazziu. Ocora, HM83-C559086, Paris. CD.

Chants corses en A.T.P. Editions des Musés nationaux, 50.3/50.4.

Chailley, Jacques and Jacques Cloarec. 1989. Corsica. Religious music of oral tradition from Rusiu. Auvidis-Unesco, D 8012, Paris, (first ed: long playing Philips U 6586033)

Corsica-Sardinia, The mistery of polyphony. World Network, WDR 31. CD.

E voce di u Cumune. 1987. Corsica. Chant polyphoniques. Harmonia Mundi, 901256. CD.

E voci di U comune. 1986. Polyphonies corses. Harmonia Mundi, HMC 1256. CD.

Flagel, Lou and Claude Flagel. 1989. Canti corsi in tradizioni. Fmd 158, Bruxelles.

Flagel, Lou and Claude Flagel. 1997. Discovery the world of fonti musicali. 2 compact discs. FMD 500, Bruxelles.

Laade, Wolfgang. 1990. Corsica. Traditional Songs and Music. Field recordings from 1958 and 1973. Jecklin-Disco JD 650-2.

Marcel-Dubois, Claude and Magay Andral. No year. Franch Folk Songs. The Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music, vol IV, Columbia Masterworks, SL 207.

Messa nustrale in Sermanu, Consul XCMX 19705

Quilici, Felix. No year. Messa corsa in Rusiu.Polyphonies sacrées traditionnelles de Corse. ADES 10.007.

Quilici, M. 1982. Musique corse de traditione orale. Enregistrements effectues par Felix Quilici. 3 long playing, Archives sonores de la Phonotheque National, APN 82-1/3, 1982.

Literature

Baud Bovy, Samuel. 1984-5. Pasques mediterranneennes. In Anuario Musical, XXXIX-XL 1984–5.

Biancarell, C. 1995. Le chant choral. In Strade, No. 3.

Bithell, Caroline. 1996. Polyphonic voices: national identity, world music and the recording of traditional music in Corsica. In British Journal of Ethnomusicology, No.9.

Bithell, Caroline. 2001. Telling a tree by its blossom: musical developments in Corsica and the notion of a traditional music of the 21st century. In Music & Anthropology, No. 5.

Bithell, Caroline. 2001. Corsica. In The New Groove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Mc Millian, London.

Bithell, Caroline. 2003. A man’s game? Engendered song and the changing dynamics of musical activity in Corsica. In Music and Gender in the Mediterranean, Tullia Magrini, ed. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Cantella, Dora. 1991. La paghjella corsa e la polivocalità dell’Italia insulare, tesi di laurea in Ethnomusicology, University of Bologna.

Casta, Ange. 1995. La èarabole corse. Rencontres avec l’identité. Editions Albiana, Ajaccio.

Catinchi, Philippe-Jean. 1999. Polyphonies corses. Cité de la musique - Actes Sud, Paris (with compact disc).

Chailley, Jacques. 1982. La messe polyphonique du village de Rusio. Revue de Musicologie, vol 68.

Collaer, Paul. 1960. Polyphonies de tradition populaire en Europe mediterrannene. In Acta Musicologica, xxxii/3–2.

Croze, Austin de. 1911. La chanson populaire de l’île de Corse. H.Champion. Paris.

De Zerbi, Germana. 1981. Cantu nustrale. Scola Corsa di Bastia, Accademia d’I Vagabondi, Altone.

De Zerbi, Germana and François Diani, eds. 1992. Cantu Corsu: contours d’une expression populaire. Cyrnos et Méditerranée, Ajaccio.

De Zerbi, Germana and Mighele Raffaelli. 1993. Antulugia di u cantu nustrale. La Marge, Ajaccio.

E voce di u Cumune. 1992. Contributions aux recherches sur le chant corse. vol. I, Polyphonies vocale et orgue. Associu E Voci di U Comune-C.E.F.- M.N.A.T.P.

E voce di u Cumune. 1992. Polyphonies vocales et orgue. Contribution aux recherches sur le chant corse. 1. Musee des Arts et Traditions Populaires, Paris.

Firruloni, Guy and Collectivité de la Corse, eds. 1993. Canta u Populu Corsu, Editions Albiana, Ajaccio.

Foussard, Michel. 1997. Les chants sacrés de Corse. In the booklet of compact disc Polyphonies franciscaines, edited by Jean Paul Poletti, Auvidis, AD100, B6855.

Goffré, Anne. 1994, Néopolyphonies pourquoi? In Polyphonies de tradition orale. Histoire et tradition orales. Créaphis, Paris.

Goffré, Anne. 1997. Les collections d’enregistrements sonores du MNATP: 100 ans de collecte en Corse. In Cahiers d’Anthropologie 4, Musée de la Corse.

Goffré, Anne, ed. 1997. Polyphonies corses. L’orgue et la voix. L’Harmattan, Paris.

Goffré, Anne, 2002, La messe de Sartene. Associu E voce di U Cumune, Pigna.

Laade, Wolfgang. 1981. Das Korsische Volkslied. F. Steiner GMBH, Wiesbaden.

Laade, Wolfgang. 1999. Corsica. In T. Rice - J. Porter (eds.), Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, vol. Europe, New York-London.

Macchiarella, Ignazio. 1995. Il falsobordone fra tradizione orale e tradizione scritta. Libreria Musicale, Lucca.

Macchiarella, Ignazio. In press. Le falsobordone d’aujourd’hui: de moyen d'acculturation de l'Eglise à moyen d’expression d’identité locales. Acte du colloque national du CTHS, Bastia april 2003.

Pasquali, Iviu. 1993. Pulifunie – eri, oghje, dumani. Cismonte e Pumonti, Petricahju.

Quilici, Felix. 1971. Polyphonies vocales traditionnelles en Corse. In Revue de musicologie, No. 57, Paris 1971.

Quilici, Felix. 1971. Chants sacrès traditionnels en Cors. In Encyclopédie des musiques sacrées. Labergerie 3, Paris.

Römer, Markus. 1977. Quelques aperçus sur la musique corse. In Etudes Corses, No. 9.

Römer, Markus. 1983. Schriftliche und mündliche Traditionen geistlicher Gesänge auf Korsika. Steiner Verlag GMBH, Wiesbaden.

Römer, Markus. 1992. Elementi stilistici e storici nel canto polivocale in Corsica. In Culture Musicali, nuova serie nn. 1-2.

Römer, Markus. 1996. Korsika. In Musik in Geschichte und Gegewart, 2d ed., Bärenreiter, Kassel.

Peres, Marcel, ed. 1996. Le chant religieux corse, état, comparaisons, perspectives. In Les cahiers du Cerimm, ed Creaphis.

Salini, Dominique. 1996. Musiques traditionnelles de Corse, A Messagera/Squadra di u Finusellu.

Verdoni, Domenica. 2003. A Settimana Santa in Corsica. Albiana, Ajaccio.