Barbara Furtuna

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.

Polyphonies corses (Corsican polyphonies) are a cappella, multi‑part vocal traditions from the island of Corsica. They are typically performed by small male ensembles (though women’s groups also exist) using three interlocking parts: u bassu (low drone/foundation), a secunda (principal melodic line), and a terza (upper part weaving ornaments and tension–release). The sound is characterized by open fifths, tight seconds, and richly beating intervals produced by close, non‑equal-tempered tuning. Melodic lines are highly ornamented, with portamenti and melismas, and pieces often begin with the secunda solo before the other parts enter. Repertoire spans sacred pieces (in Corsican Latin and vernacular devotion) and secular songs of pastoral life, love, the seasons, and communal memory. While rooted in medieval liturgical practices, the tradition also thrived in village life, transmitted orally and revived in the late 20th century through festivals and dedicated ensembles.