1. 7th Framework Programme ICT - Information and Communication Technologies www.i-treasures.eu Sas modas Paolo Bravi, Marco Lutzu, Sebastiano Pilosu

2. Area where canto a tenore is found  Today canto a tenore is present in about seventy villages of central Sardinia in many of these villages this practice is still widespread; in many of these villages this practice is still widespread; it has continued uninterruptedly; it has continued uninterruptedly; and there are numerous singers. and there are numerous singers.

3. Area where the canto is widely practised  In other villages the number of singers decreased during the second half of the last century  in some villages it almost disappeared and groups of enthusiastic young men started singing again basing themselves on the help of the few aging singers still alive and using old recordings. and groups of enthusiastic young men started singing again basing themselves on the help of the few aging singers still alive and using old recordings.

4. Area concerned and local identity Diffusion in homogeneous macro areas Diffusion in a macro area but with local features  Cantu a chiterra  Launeddas (partly)  Poesia Logudoresa in otadas  Poesia campidanesa a mutetus  Repentina  Cantu a tenore is distinguished by the close link with the single village community. is distinguished by the close link with the single village community.

5. Sas modas  Over time each community has elaborated its own way of singing, an exclusive style and way of performing  Which are summarised with the term “moda”  So seventy villages have seventy modas: sa moda de Orune, sa moda de Orune, sa moda de Orgosolo, sa moda de Orgosolo, sa moda de Thiniscole... sa moda de Thiniscole...

6. What do «sas modas» feature One is dealing mainly with musical aspects One is dealing mainly with musical aspects  the timbre of each single voice making up the choir;  the timbre of the entire quartet;  the different possibilities or freedom of movement of each part which produce harmonically different results;  the different rhythms (in canto a boghe 'e ballu for instance) or the play of rhythmic accents;  the macrostructures that vary in a more or less evident way;  Specific melodic microstructures.

7. Differences in «sas modas»  for the singers and for the entire village community they belong to there are macroscopic differences  an extraorinary importance is attributed to them identification with the same community is based on them identification with the same community is based on them the idea of representing one’s own community in the public contexts in which su tenore performs the idea of representing one’s own community in the public contexts in which su tenore performs

8. «sas modas and sas biddas»  Each village sings in its own way the possibility that it can be interpreted by choirs (tenores) that do not belong to the same community (at least publicly or officially) is excluded the possibility that it can be interpreted by choirs (tenores) that do not belong to the same community (at least publicly or officially) is excluded one can go as far as to exclude that a local choir can include a singer external to the community one can go as far as to exclude that a local choir can include a singer external to the community

9. Sas modas in sa boghe ‘e ballu: timbre  The aspect which more than any other identifies a moda is probably for singers and for enthusiasts the timbre of su tenore  The ear of the Sardinian enthusiast of canto a tenore is particularly trained to recognise nuances imperceivable to most people

10. Timbre  A precise definition of each timbre does not exist  The main distinguishing features are Open or closed Open or closed Use of specific vowels or syllables Use of specific vowels or syllables Nasal resonance more or less accentuated of su bassu Nasal resonance more or less accentuated of su bassu Gutturalisation of sa contra more or less metallic Gutturalisation of sa contra more or less metallic Mesu boghe full or throaty (ingolato) with emphasis on high frequencies Mesu boghe full or throaty (ingolato) with emphasis on high frequencies

11. The structure of the canti  Sas boghes de ballu on the basis of sas modas are differentiated by Alternated singing of boghe and tenore with short overlapping Alternated singing of boghe and tenore with short overlapping Simultaneous singing of boghe and tenore with considerable overlapping Simultaneous singing of boghe and tenore with considerable overlapping Duration and frequency of the corfos Duration and frequency of the corfos Parallel raising or lowering of the chord (artziadas and abbasadas) and way of performing Parallel raising or lowering of the chord (artziadas and abbasadas) and way of performing Relative movements of the single parts, both melodic and rhythmic Relative movements of the single parts, both melodic and rhythmic Length of verses Length of verses

12. Example 1: Orgosolo Boghe ‘e ballu, Tenore Antonia Mesina Boghe ‘e ballu, Tenore Antonia MesinaTenore Antonia MesinaTenore Antonia Mesina The timbreThe timbre Open timbre of entire group Open timbre of entire group Bassu open with very evident gutturalisation Bassu open with very evident gutturalisation Contra full mainly singing open vowels “A” alternating the syllables bim – ba Contra full mainly singing open vowels “A” alternating the syllables bim – ba Mesu boghe throaty (ingolato), rich in high pitched notes that emerge in an evident way Mesu boghe throaty (ingolato), rich in high pitched notes that emerge in an evident way Boghe with characteristic Orgosolo pronunciation Boghe with characteristic Orgosolo pronunciation

13. Example 1: Orgosolo Boghe ‘e ballu, Tenore Antonia Mesina Boghe ‘e ballu, Tenore Antonia MesinaTenore Antonia MesinaTenore Antonia Mesina StructureStructure Canto alternated of boghe and tenore with minimum overlapping Canto alternated of boghe and tenore with minimum overlapping Eight-syllable (ottonari) verses Eight-syllable (ottonari) verses

14. Example 2: Orune Boghe ‘e ballu lestru, Tenore S’arborinu (from 3 min.40”) Boghe ‘e ballu lestru, Tenore S’arborinu (from 3 min.40”)Tenore S’arborinuTenore S’arborinu TimbreTimbre Medium opening or closing Medium opening or closing Bassu with very evident gutturalisation but never completely open, more closed in sas artziadas. Contained emission and controlled volume. Bassu with very evident gutturalisation but never completely open, more closed in sas artziadas. Contained emission and controlled volume. Contra full that alternates open and closed vowels in a rhythmic way passing through the vowel of medium opening “E” Contra full that alternates open and closed vowels in a rhythmic way passing through the vowel of medium opening “E” Mesu boghe “natural” not throaty (ingolato), light and not prevalent; he sings syllables with vowels of medium opening “A” and especially “E” Mesu boghe “natural” not throaty (ingolato), light and not prevalent; he sings syllables with vowels of medium opening “A” and especially “E”

15. Example 2: Orune Boghe ‘e ballu lestru, Tenore S’arborinu (from 3 min. 40”) Boghe ‘e ballu lestru, Tenore S’arborinu (from 3 min. 40”)Tenore S’arborinuTenore S’arborinu StructureStructure Canto overlapping of boghe and tenore Canto overlapping of boghe and tenore Intervention of su tenore with short corfos Intervention of su tenore with short corfos Long interventions of su tenore in correspondence with artziadas and abbassadas (red and yellow arrows in the figure) or when sa boghe performs a melodic passage upwards which acts as a signal (arc with white arrow in the figure) Long interventions of su tenore in correspondence with artziadas and abbassadas (red and yellow arrows in the figure) or when sa boghe performs a melodic passage upwards which acts as a signal (arc with white arrow in the figure) Eight-syllable (ottonari) verses Eight-syllable (ottonari) verses

16. Example 3: Seneghe Ballu ‘e càntidu, Cuntratu seneghesu (from 4 min. 45” to 8 min.00” and from 10 min. 20” to the end). Ballu ‘e càntidu, Cuntratu seneghesu (from 4 min. 45” to 8 min.00” and from 10 min. 20” to the end).Cuntratu seneghesu Cuntratu seneghesu TimbreTimbre Rather closed on the whole Rather closed on the whole Bassu very closed in an almost constant “O” Bassu very closed in an almost constant “O” Contra hardly gutturalised. Very slightly metallic and not emerging Contra hardly gutturalised. Very slightly metallic and not emerging Mesu boghe shrill, contrasting with the full and deep sound of the bassu and contra. Mesu boghe shrill, contrasting with the full and deep sound of the bassu and contra.

17. Example 3: Seneghe Ballu ‘e càntidu, Cuntratu seneghesu (from 4 min. 45” to 8 min.00” and from 10 min.20” to the end). Ballu ‘e càntidu, Cuntratu seneghesu (from 4 min. 45” to 8 min.00” and from 10 min.20” to the end).Cuntratu seneghesu Cuntratu seneghesu StructureStructure Canto overlapping of boghe and cuntratu (tenore) Canto overlapping of boghe and cuntratu (tenore) Intervention of su tenore with two short corfos alternated with a long intervention with a very accentuated rhythm by su bassu. Intervention of su tenore with two short corfos alternated with a long intervention with a very accentuated rhythm by su bassu. Artziadas and abbassadas always present performed in different ways, also at the same time as the long interventions of su cuntratu (tenore) Artziadas and abbassadas always present performed in different ways, also at the same time as the long interventions of su cuntratu (tenore) Mesu boghe who shows his autonomy in the frequency and duration of his interventions, intervening nearly always with short corfos. Mesu boghe who shows his autonomy in the frequency and duration of his interventions, intervening nearly always with short corfos. Hendecasyllable verses Hendecasyllable verses