Chant corse : Manuscrits franciscains (XVII-XVIIIe siècles)

French folk music encompasses the traditional song and dance practices of the many regions of France, from Brittany and Normandy in the west to Occitania and Provence in the south, Alsace and Lorraine in the east, and Burgundy, Auvergne, Poitou, and beyond. It features distinctive regional languages (Breton, Occitan, Corsican, Basque, Alsatian dialects, and French itself), characteristic vocal styles such as the Breton call-and-response kan ha diskan and Corsican multipart paghjella, and a rich dance repertoire (bourrée, gavotte, an dro, hanter-dro, branle, scottish, mazurka, polka, and valse). Core instruments include the diatonic button accordion, hurdy-gurdy (vielle à roue), French bagpipes (cabrette, cornemuse, biniou), bombarde, fiddle, clarinet, tambourin à cordes, and modern additions like guitar and bouzouki. Social dance events (bal folk, fest-noz in Brittany) keep the tradition alive, while revival artists and ensembles bridge archival repertoire with contemporary arrangements.

Corsican folk music is the traditional music of the island of Corsica, renowned for its striking, three‑part a cappella polyphony known as paghjella. Typically sung by male voices standing very close together, the parts—bassu (low drone), secunda (lead/middle), and terza (high)—weave dense, modal harmonies rich in overtones. The repertoire spans sacred and secular spheres: liturgical chants and hymns, improvised call‑and‑response verse contests (chjami è rispondi), love songs, lullabies, and lamentations (voceru). Timbres are robust and nasal, intonation favors modal scales with flexible tuning, and performance often begins with the secunda “setting” the pitch before bassu and terza enter. While predominantly vocal and unaccompanied, instruments such as the cetera corsa (Corsican cittern), flute, violin, guitar, or accordion may accompany dances and newer arrangements.