3. TONE ASPECTS AND APPARENT TONES

The main characteristic of Sardinian folk songs consists in considering the melody a inner part of the harmony (boghe, bogi), the second of the four parts. In a major tonality this rule does not deform the harmony. Example below Stabat Mater (Ittireddu) (Fig. 12)

La caratteristica principale del canto popolare sardo consiste nel considerare la melodia una parte interna dell'armonia (boghe, bogi), la seconda delle quattro voci. In una tonalità maggiore questa regola non travisa l'armonia. Cito lo Stabat Mater (Ittireddu) (Fig. 12).

Fig. 12 - Major chords in major tone: Stabat Mater of Ittireddu (performed
by: SU CORO 'E CHEREMULE)


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Instead of a piece of music that gives sa oghe an evident minor melody, the Sardinian harmonisation compels it to the major chord. The example below is the Miserere of Pozzomaggiore (Fig. 13).

Fig. 13 - Major chords on minor tone : Miserere of Pozzomaggiore (performed
by: SU CORO 'E CHEREMULE)


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We can notice how the 1° grade chord (minor SOL) substitutes the 3° grade chord (flat major SI), remaining in the major flat SI, until the end of the first hemistich. The second hemistich ends in SOL: the following note, keynote of minor SOL arranged by the seventh dominant (seventh RE), becomes harmonised with a major chord, still in with the routine that in Sardinian music the minor chord is not usual.

In order to explain better this fact I refer to it as false or apparent tone, because of the co existence of a melody in minor tone in the harmony of a major tone. Naturally, the concept of procedure related to the harmony in Sardinian folk songs renders more comprehensive this apparent contradiction.

The presence of natural notes in the registry of sa 'oghe is of the same chord, this time it's alteration, in sa mesa 'oghe, gives way to a false relation. This is very common in Sardinian harmonies. In Lauda de s'isclavamentu of Bulzi (Fig. 14), the natural DO of sa 'oghe is found in false relation with the DO sharp of the mesa 'oghe.

Fig. 14 - False relation in Lauda de s'isclavamentu di Bulzi (Performed
by: SU CORO 'E CHEREMULE)


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