CORSICAN POLYPHONYWhy | Groups
and singers | Concerts | They
sing Corsica | Your turn | Dedications | Books
| Links |
French version 
WHY THIS PAGE ?
Music being a
cross-boundaries art, I thought it might be worth translating my page about
Corsican polyphony. I am not a native English speaker so if I made unforgivable
mistakes in syntax or spelling, please correct me by sending me an e-mail.
You are Corsican and know a lot about polyphonies...
In this case, you might be disappointed by my selection. Being a non-Corsican
speaker (shame on me!), this selection talks more about being sensitive to a
group or a singer rather than a true passion for their lyrics, even though I try
to understand them by reading the CD covers. One of the objectives of this page
is to meet true amateurs of Corsican music in order to exchange impressions.
Indeed, buying Corsican records is not always easy. Corsican music is far from
being widely broadcast on the airwaves. I have to rely on a group's fame or on
rare critics in the "Musique du Monde" [World Music] section of Télérama (French cultural TV
magazine). I also now have the opportunity to listen to CD track extracts on the
FNAC (French Multimedia store) CD players. Thus, if you think that I missed a
group or a singer, please do not hesitate to
write to me.
You
are not Corsican but you fell in love with polyphony... during your last stay in Corsica. This page's main goal is to list the CDs you
need to buy first in order to start a basic collection; you might also want to
use Corsican music in order to spice up your last holiday video.
I recommend that you start with the acquisition of a compilation. Lots of them
come out every year, especially during the holiday (for example: "
Corsica, les plus belles chansons corses," Versailles, 1994). It's an
easy way to discover different aspects of polyphony. According to what you like
best on the compilation, you will be able to discover singers or groups in more
detail.
About Corsican
polyphony…
Polyphony is closely connected to the Corsican identity. Its revival dates
from the Seventies, a period called "riacquistu" (literally the fact
that Corsican people took over their language and their musical
culture). Extremely varied, it comes in many forms: sacred, religious, Franciscan, secular, traditional, contemporary, world music and even
electronic. Polyphony remains mostly sung by men even if some women are also
popular. Sometimes misjudged as being sad or austere, it does not leave anybody
indifferent.
MY FAVORITE ARE...
Among the solo singers, I have to start with Petru
Guelfucci.
Son of Filice Antone Guelfucci, who was a famous fiddler, he comes from Sermanu,
a small village near Corte. Founding member of Canta U Populu Corsu, he often
presents himself as a singer-bee-keeper. Canta U Populu Corsu is the group that
many say was the key to the revival of traditional Corsican singing in the
Seventies. His "harsh" voice is his signature.
His first success "Isula" (1987) is often used as soundtrack for TV
programmes about Corsica. Marie-Claude Pietragalla, head of the
ballet of Marseille used his albums "Corsica"
(1989) and "Vita" (1999) for dancing."" Corsica " is a
tribute to the Island of Beauty. The ballet subject relates to patriarchal
domination, the power and courage
of Corsican women and their influence on men [... ] "Vita"
celebrates life and Corsica. Natural elements are the ballet's subject. Water,
earth and fire represent wandering, roots and energy ". (Nice Matin,
Corsica Hebdo, 21 January 2000, pp. 30-31).
With his group Voce di Corsica, Petru Guelfucci recorded a traditional music
album in 1994 which has been rewarded by a "Victory of the Music" in
1995. This same year, he was singing with Renaud (first part of Renaud show). In
1996, he met Pascal Périz, leader of Pow Wow. He also sang with Pow Wow at the
Olympia (first part of the show). This
collaboration has continued on the fifth album of Petru "Vita" (1999) where
he has adapted a Pascal Periz's song "Une autre ville" which became
"Una altra cita". Pascal Périz also wrote the music of "Sognacciu".
Petru Guelfucci regularly performs in Canada where he has sold a lot of records
(perhaps even more than in Corsica and on the Continent).
See
his dedication.
Former member of Canta U Populu Corsu, Jean-Paul
Poletti has chosen to use his tenor voice for religious hymns. With the
male-voice choir of Sartène, in two albums "Polyphonies Corses"
(1996) and "Fiori di memoria" (1999), he gives a new life to lamentu,
prisoners laments, Christmas and threshing songs. He has recorded extracts of
the Dante Divine Comedy transmitted orally by shepherds.
Jean-Marie Colombani speaking about Jean-Paul Poletti says: "I have
admired, as lots of us I suppose, a career that has started with popular
and political songs and that is becoming
increasingly poetic and demanding. With the male-voice choir of Sartene he has
reached the highest point. According to me, it says it all: the only way to know
where we come from is to go back to our Latin roots; that is to say, Franciscan manuscripts of the 14th century. These
Latin roots lead us toward universality,
therefore towards the future".
Canta U Populu
Corsu. A mythical group dating from the Seventies. Some of
its founding members are now leading their own career (Petru Guelfucci,
Jean-Paul Poletti). The group
renewed itself since the beginning but Canta has remained faithful to its
original style. Old vinyl records are now available on CDs (they
often come in sets of two). Their compilation "In Cantu" which gathers
titles dating from 1975 to 1981 is worth having as well as the only public
recording in Théâtre de la Ville (Paris) dating from 1981. In 1995, the group
came back to life to record an extraordinary album called "Sintineddi"
whose main title is used as a soundtrack for music and lights show at the
citadel of Calvi (the record that I would bring to a deserted island!). Their
last album "Rinvivisce" (2001) is in the style of what is currently
recorded, that is to say a mix between traditional music and music from other
countries (here Basque or Irish).
Among the other groups or singers that I would
recommend:
A Filetta, (the fern) seems to specialize in film soundtracks.
Their credits include collaborations on the soundtracks of "Himalaya,
l'enfance d'un chef" of Eric Valli, "Le Peuple Migrateur" of
Jacques Perrin, " Vidocq" of Pitof, and "Don Juan " of
Jacques Weber. The group, coming from Balagne, is mostly known through its
leader's charisma: Jean-Claude Acquaviva "whose vocal direction always
astonishes by its implacable rigour, its metronome precision, its quasi-religiosity
and its tremendous humbleness. With him, the insular song is neither folklore
nor political assertion, it is an authentic artistic expression " (Télérama,
Sortir n° 113, 26 June 2002). Don
Kent's documentary "Corsican Voices" concerning this group and their album "Intantu", which was broadcast the May 12th 2002 on Arte
(Channel 5), has been published on DVD (Editions Montparnasse). "Don
Kent managed to avoid the traditional postcard of beaches, fishermen and local
accent by filming Corsica's hidden face: that is to say, loneliness and a rough
nature " (Nice Matin, 19 May 2002, p. 19). This dark and painful
aspect of the documentary gave me pause before buying "Intantu";
however it is a small jewel, powerfully and magisterially orchestrated, the kind
of album to be listened to with the greatest meditation. This sentence on the CD
cover summarizes their work very well: "singing is, also and perhaps
especially, saying tenderly powerful things and saying strongly tenderly things
".
With their last album, "Si di
mè", A Filetta forgets about polyphonic research to come back to songs ,
"16 wonderful songs to say to everybody, "You are one of
mine"". Bruno Coulais's special touch and Jean-Claude Acquaviva's
exceptional voice are back with guest stars like Antoine Ciosi, Guram
Tamazashvili (Gregorian singer), Marie-Jo Allegrini and Marie Kobayashi. See their dedication.
I Chjami Aghjalesi,
very famous group in Corsica. Just like Cantu U Populu Corsu, their old vinyl
records are now available on CDs (double records).
I recommend the compilation "I vinti cinque Baroni" (2001), which came
out for the group's 25 years of career. You'll find in it famous titles as well
as titles like "les trois cloches", "la complainte de Pablo
Neruda" (with Ferrat) and "Bella Ciao" often sung but seldom
recorded.
Surghjenti
(the source), a 1998 compilation gathers titles sung
between 1981 and 1989, one of my favorite albums.
Cinqui So, a
group, which I discovered through their last album "Essenza" (2002). A
very "world music" record. "Cascades of syncopated voices,
melodies where you can hear distant echoes of Cameroun, Algerian, Greek and Séfarades
music. Created in 1990 in Ajaccio, the Group has often been invited abroad, from
Denmark to Japan and the United States. Meeting Ray Lema pianist from Congo,
Elena Ledda from Sardaigna, Pedro Aledo from Spain, or the Mystery of the
Bulgarian voices, they became familiar with interbreedings. "
(Télérama 2002, Eliane Azoulay).
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Marcellesi:
"Barqueiro"
(2000). A strange record in the Corsican musical landscape with a mix of fado,
samba, mambo, African rhythmic and traditional Corsican music, the whole
supported by a marvelous voice. I fell in love with this first album of a young man who is Corsican
by his father (Porto Vechio) and Spanish by his mother.
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The two leaders, Maxime Merlandi, singer and Stéphane Casalta, song
writer and singer unfortunately separated in 2000 at the top of their fame. Each
one continues his career, Stéphane Casalta in solo and Maxime Merlandi with the
new group Barbara Furtuna (see below). In 2003, Giramondu made a come-back with
some former musicians.
Stéphane Casalta
began a new career with "Una Preghera" (a prayer) (2002). His
style hasn't changed much since Giramondu: a blend of tradition (with the help
of Jean-Paul Poletti and Patrizia Guataceca from Soledonna), Mediterranean
inspiration and electronic music.
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Tempus Fugit : this young group of five singers has worked with the ethnomusicologist
Corinne Bartolini to bring back to life hymns of the area of Nebbiu. On
"Tempus Fugit" (2003) they sing
extracts of a lost mass, the mass "Vultum tuum" (your face), which is
dedicated to the Holy Name of Marie.
I
Muvrini: It is difficult to speak about Corsican polyphony without talking about I
Muvrini (moufflons), the best known Corsican group.
Jean-François Bernardini and his brother Alain started to sing at the age of 10 with their father in the first "paghjella" contests (lament with two or three voices). Their style now relates more to "world music" than to pure polyphony. They even play instruments like bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy which are more Celtic than Corsican (that's why people coming from Britanny like them so much !).
Jean-François Bernardini has sung beautiful duets, like the famous duet with Sting "Terre d'Oru", adapted from the English version of "Field of Gold". This duet is recorded on the album "A Strada" (2000), the first compilation of the group made of "profane" and traditional songs (which tends to prove that I Muvrini are good at world music more than just !).
For this group, I recommend that you buy the live concerts like le Zenith (1994) or Bercy (1996), where you will ear the energy and the festive spirit.
Muvrini in Fnac St Lazare on September 10, 2002 for their new Umani
album:
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Their last record "Umani" (Human) was
released in the summer of 2002. It gathers the humanistic concerns of the group. Muvrin met several artists recording this album like Mc Solaar and two Afghan singers on the main title "Jalalabad", Stephan Eicher on "a sognu pè campà" (a dream to live, very poetically translated into sign language on scene), Josephina Fernandez, a Portuguese singer who sings with the group, Antoni Tapies, a Catalan artist, who illustrated the album with one of his paintings and Luz Casal and the Basque choruses of Oldarra on "Erein eta joan" (I sow and I go away, a song with Corsican, Breton, Occitan, Basque and Catalan lyrics). |
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With this album, Muvrini proved once more that before being
Corsican, they are citizens of the world. It is reassuring to see that
after more than 20 years devoted to the defense of the Corsican culture, the
group still renews itself and grows richer by opening itself to the world and to
humanity. "Of course, people close to insular traditions will be very
annoyed by the success of these Corsicans playing pop music. It is true that
Muvrini songs have little to do with the rough songs of their ancestors... But
the Bernardini brothers have other assets: solid voices, perfect arrangements
and a humanistic speech. On one hand they lack authenticity, one the
other they defend a culture by opening it to the world "(V.L.,
Télérama, Sortir, May 2003). "Umani" is also a book (éditions du Seuil) with poems and notes
by Jean-François Bernardini. |
UNCLASSABLE
Nanne di Corsica: "A Cumpagnia, Corsican lullabies ", recorded in Casa Musicale of
Pigna on April 12, 1999, for Corsican babies but it might also be suitable for
stressed adults!
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Isula: "Isulamea" (2002): Starting with its very designed cover you can tell that it is different. This is the only electronic Corsican music record I know. A mix between traditional and religious songs and music of the 21st century. As if Massive Attack had met Poletti: surprising ! The greatest record for a rave party in the "macchja" [Corsican bushland]. With the participation of Jacky Micaelli, Joseph Figarelli, I Surghenti... I fell in love with this music! |
Bretagne Corse, polyphonies corses et chants bretons (Coop Breizh, 2000)
This record reminds me a concert in Francofolies de la Rochelle on July 16,
1994 when Breton singer Denez Prigent, Basque singer Peio Serbielle and
Corsican singer Petru Guelfucci mixed their voices. This record stresses the
point that polyphonic cultures "draw their poetic sources in everyday
life, in the political, social, economic and religious events". The
Corsican selection is highly recommendable. I hope that it is the same for the
Breton selection.
CONCERTS
On the continent: look at your favorite artists web sites (see my links).
See also: Le Monde (Aden, on Thursdays), Télérama (Sortir).
In Corsica: most of the concerts take place during the summer holiday.
Advertising is massive so you won't miss anything. However, another way to know
about the main groups and their concerts for the season is to get a leaflet
called "A Canzona in Giru" from Corsican tourist offices. It is
published each year.
In love with Corsica, they proved it by recording beautiful duets...
I Muvrini sang with Veronique Sanson in 1994 in Francofolies de la
Rochelle where they adapted "Le temps est assassin" (Sanson: Comme ils
l'imaginent, 1995). While still in Francofolies (1996), they were chorus-singers
for Michel Fugain for the song "L'Ile" (Fugain: Petites fêtes
entre amis, 1996). They also were chorus-singers for "Marin du Cap" of
Maxime Le Forestier (Maxime Le Forestier: Essentielles).
Gilbert Bécaud asked Petru Guelfucci to write and sing with him "Les gens de l'île". He sang it in his last Olympia Show (autumn 99).
The thirteenth song "Corsic' armes" of Renaud's last album, "Boucan d'enfer", is a tribute to François Santoni. A journalist of
Le Monde said that: "Finally, if nationalism becomes folklore, why
not...", Le Monde, May 31, 2002, p. 13).
Chantal Landi-Costérian and Marie Colonna have created l'Association Les
Lutins Musiciens. They organize workshops about Corsican polyphony. These
training courses take place the evenings or weekends in Paris.
Association Les Lutins
Musiciens, 23 rue Clapeyron, 75008 Paris, Rép/fax: 01.45.22.19.09.
Pour en savoir plus: http://leslutinsmusiciens.org
Poletti says: "even if the Corsican language has obvious implications
in the song, there is no need to be Corsican to practice it. The word must
perfectly be articulated and accentuated to be right, and the accuracy is what
makes the difference ". (Interview of Philip de la Croix published in Le
Monde-Aden, June 12-18, 2002, p. 8).
Why | Groups
and singers | Concerts | They
sing Corsica | Your turn | Dedications | Books
| Links |
French
version
Logo of this page with the authorization of Bruno
Vellutini/Peuples de Méditerranée.
The covers presented on this selection were the subject of a written
reproduction authorization by the producers except Giramondu and Barbara
Furtuna (agreement of the singers)
© 2002-2004 Realization and
Conception Carole Guelfucci
