MANNER OF PERFORMANCE

The manner of performance regards two aspects of the song; the performer and the context in which the song is performed.

A first distinction separates Sardinian folk songs in these two forms, monodic and plural vocal(choir). The monodic form refers to a song that has only one melody, the choir form refers to the songs in which the melody is accompanied by other voices. It is preferable to use the adjective 'plural vocal' because we mean with this different voices that have the same rhythm. Polyphonic, however, is meant for a plural voice song which has different rhythmical parts in contrast amongst themselves within the song.
- Monodic song
- Plural voice songs:
     a cuncordu sacred and profane form of reply
     a tenore, identified also in the ballu a cantigu

a. Monodic songs

Monodic singing is a performance by only one voice or a soloists part. Some songs belonging to this category are A ninnia, Cantigos de ammuttiu, Ballos a cantigu. They may also be considered monodic songs those songs that, few years ago, were made up of sa 'oghe (the voice) of the songs a tenore, which were quite rare.

Below isTai tai di Mores (Fig. 18), which is a Sardinian dance song (ballu sardu).

Fig. 18 - E tai tai monodico fromm Mores (Performed by: Tiu GIUANNANTONI CARTA di Mores)


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b. Multi voice responsorial songs

Multi voice songs are coral songs that can be divided into two different manners of performance: a cuncordu, which can be used either in sacred and profane songs, and a tenore which is only for profane songs.

These songs, when performed, are classified as responsorial types, expression which has been altered by the liturgical practises, in one way it signifies an alternation between soloists and choir in a song, but it's main meaning is the performance of a song by a soloist, which then leaves the concluding part.

I. A cuncordu

Songs performed 'a cuncordu' denote a performance by 4-5 male voices, the words of the song are sung contemporaneously by each of the 'groups' in the choir which, starting from the strongest the voices are basciu, contra, boghe e mesa'oghe. The taja from Gallura is a coral song that has 5 male voices with a falsetto final.

The characteristic that makes similar other vocal performances consists of considering the main melody of the piece not that of the higher part, that is sa mesa'oghe, but the second, sa 'oghe. The main consequence of this formulation is the impossibility of the minor chord and the dominant character of archaism of such harmonisation, based on the two major chords the keynote and the dominant.

All of the sacred hymns of the Cunfrarias are classified as performed in the a cuncordu manner, but there are many profane songs in which the responsorial character dominates. Amongst these are sa Maestralina from Thiesi, S'istudiantina of Montiferru, Sa Pedrina of Marghine. Often, a sacred song a cuncordu brings forth a profane one, which slavishly imitates it, for example Non mi giamedas Maria (sacred) and Maria filonzana tessidora (profane) of Nugheddu San Nicolò have the same melody. As an example below is the song a cuncordu with Non mi giamedas Maria of Nughedu San Nicolo' (Fig. 19).

Fig. 19 - Hymn a cuncordu: Non mi giamedas Maria (performed by: SU CUNCORDU 'E SANTU NIGOLA from Nughedu San Nicolò)


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It would be very reductive to classify the songs a cuncordu as Falsobordone, as some musicians do, term which is more adapt to psalms, made up of recitations on held chords, where it is quite frequent the modulation for sonorous passages, that is the improvisation in a passage from one tonality to another. The term helps us to understand the musical form of singing a cuncordu.

II. A tenore

Singing a tenore is the most original and antique form of Sardinian songs, made up of a vocal quartet lead by a soloist (sa 'oghe), also known as su tertzu. The accompaniment (su tenore) also known as sas armas, which consists of sa mesa 'oghe, su contra e su basciu.

Harmonically sa 'oghe is the second harmony in the vocals, harmony which is an intermediate between sa mesa 'oghe and contra. Only the soloist sings the words, while sas armas accompany him with meaningless syllables such as 'bo, ba, boin, bom, bam, ne, de, etc'. This way of singing is only used for the profane. The tenore of Logudoro is less known than that of the barbaricino, but it is by know means inferior.

Part of this tradition is Su passu from Budduso' (Fig. 20).

Fig. 20 - Canto a tenore: Su passu from Buddusò (performed by: SU TENORE BUDDUSOINU)


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By Pinuccio Solinas