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Music from
Yesterday to Nowadays ..
The Reconquest of a Patrimony
In his preface to the songs of Cyrnos, the teacher Paul Arrighi already
noticed in 1932 what he called reassuring signs about the evolution of this
music:
"By a curious and just return, the progress, that I accused of killing
our songs, is now useful, by its wonderful instruments, for preserving
and making them known of the greatest number."
What to say then about the present birth ?
We see today island singers which bring on the international big stages
certain of the most archaic forms of our polyphony. A large public applauds
these traditional composings and even is enthusiastic over the new musical
in corsican language.
Anyway nothing more natural than this happy revival.
The 70s have been those of the Riacquistu, a movement for the reconquest
of the cultural heritage.
By investing again in a dynamic way this way of expression, youngs have
given again to the song the main place which has always been its in the
rustic community, which has nourrished during many generations its deep
sensivity and its secret dreams.
The Work of Time
Most certainly, like in every modern societies, changes have come about,
consigning to oblivion certain songs which go with the daily gestures.
The new ways of life have made disappear the Nanne, these lullabies
that mothers sang to their children; the young people no intone anymore
languorous Serinati for their beloved; the Tribierre of the harvesters
no resound anymore on the areas of corn...
Since more a long time the Voceri have disappeared, these dirge woman's
lamentations which had so much marked the romantic travellers of the last
century.
Paul de saint-Victor, observing the weepers, even asserted:
"The chorus of the tragedy of Sophocle has no more august voice
that the one of this old humble woman of "dark" important
village of Corsica."
If all these creations with violent beauty have disappeared, the main
thing has survived, and the miracle occured: in Corsica, we still sing
awl always sing.
This miracle, taking the main two classical ways of the monodic song
and of the polyphony, allows us to appreciate a music which, even if it
has much evolved since the origins, keeps an authentic vigor.
The Paghjella, polyphonic song, harmoniously combine three registers
of voice: a segonda, which begins, give the pitch and carries the main
melody; u bassu, which follows it, accompanies it and supports it; finally
a terza, the highest placed, which enriches and gives the song.
If we make a census of the related forms, what above all is amazing in
the corsican paghjella, besides its melodic characteristics, it is surprising
vitality and its profane nature.
After having outlived to a long period of disinterest, it has been rediscovered
in the 70s by the key band Canta u populu corsu.
Today, youngs reinvest this patrimony, women themselves sing a song
which at the origin was exclusively sang by men.
The paghjella is performed by accompanied soloists, like Ghjuvan Paulu
Poletti, Antone Ciosi, Petru Guelfucci.
More "riched" music groups now enjoy a big fame : I Muvrini,
A Filetta, Voci di Corsica, NPC, DonnisuLana (feminine chorus), I Chjami
Aghjalesi...
And, borrowing their inspiration from jazz or rock: Patrizia Poli, the
group Ottobre or zia Divota.
The case of the Chjam'e Rispondi is very original too. This improvised
poetic joust, which requires from the performers a exceptional virtuosity,
remains very prized by the public.
We can still attend it in the Niolo
in Casamaccioli, during the big fair in the month of september. Nevertheless,
this form of expression seems to be threatened by the decline of the corsican
language.
The Revival of the Instruments
Under the heading of the research linked to music, it is interesting to
notice the success of certain undertakings of restoration of traditional
instruments among those the Cetera, one of the most remarkable.
This corsican sixteen stringed zither, whose origin probably dates from
the italian Middle-Ages, has been remade by stringed-instrument makers,
from the rare preserved models. This instrument is integrated with harmony
to ancient orchestra and it sometimes offer original tones to contemporary
productions.
Most certainly, we could always rightfully ask ourselves if, from too
much show the corsican song, from too much make an exhibition of it, we
do not gravely risk disrupting its fundamental balances. But as the professor
Fernand Ettori,
within a civilization which seems to want to pass from the written to
the age of the audiovisual techniques, the old corsican poetry keeps
a few chances of springing again under new forms adapted to a very different
economic and social context.
Let us hope that future will prove it to be right.
Jacques Fusina Academic Lyric writer
and Poet
The Culture and Traditions it is also :
A Few Books to Go Further.... 
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