Tradition and passion: the magic of Corsican polyphonic songs [VIDEO]

It is one of the oldest, almost ancestral traditions of Corsica. Traditions preserved now in the smaller villages of the “island of beauty” that, in honor of the so-called paghjella, could also be renamed as the “Island of songs”. These are the famous Corsican polyphonic songs.

Fallen into disuse for several years, the Corsican polyphonic songs are experiencing a renaissance recently. Thanks largely to the work of local popular music groups who have recovered this characteristic tradition of the island, keeping it and especially promoting it around Corsica.

The popular music groups propose an ancient repertoire of songs of struggle, love songs, dirges and songs of passion. They will perform accompanied by instruments that were played in the past by the shepherds: in particular the 16-stringed cetera (a kind of harp) and the pivana, made from the horn of the goat.

There is no lack of occasions to listen to these songs . Especially during summer, when several events animate Corsica. In the smaller towns, those where traditions still have an important role in the lives of people, you can get lost in the melodies of Corsican polyphonic songs.

It is difficult to understand the beauty of Corsican polyphonic songs without listening (video uploaded by PlanetCorsican):

Image source: Flickr.com/photos/bestfor