Les nouvelles polyphonies corses

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.

Paghjella is a traditional Corsican a cappella polyphonic singing style characterized by three interlocking vocal parts—secondu (the central, leading voice), bassu (a low, droning foundation), and terzu (a soaring, ornamented upper line). The voices weave dense, beating harmonies rich in natural intervals and slight microtonal inflections, producing a striking, resonant sonority. Historically performed by male singers in both sacred and secular contexts, paghjella can be heard in churches (during confraternal and liturgical occasions) as well as informal gatherings. Its melodies and texts, sung in the Corsican language, often convey devotion, memory, and communal identity. In 2009, “Cantu in paghjella” was inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, underscoring its cultural significance and the ongoing efforts to preserve it.