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Music and featured items

Timings are shown from the start of the programme in hours and minutes.

1. Chapter 1

   00:00
   

   Corsican male singing.

   (02.13) Permalink

   Andy Kershaw introduces the programme and starts in Corsica with its magical male polyphonic singing.

2. Music Played

   1. 00:00
      

      Tenores di Bitti/Luigi Lai — Sa Grobes de s'annussata

3. Chapter 2

   00:02
   

   Male polyphonic choir session.

   (09.30) Permalink

   A special BBC session with the male polyphonic choir and voice “A Filetta” recorded at a rehearsal in their 17th century “headquarter” in Lumio in the north of the island.

4. Music Played

   1. 00:02
      

      A Filetta — A Paghjella Di L'impiccati

   2. 00:09
      

      A Filetta — Cose Viste

5. Chapter 3

   00:11
   

   An interview with “A Filetta”.

   (06.33) Permalink

   Andy raises questions of identity and nationality in Corsica in an interview with the leader of “A Filetta”. He also asks him about his melismatic style of singing + one more song from A Filetta.

6. Music Played

   1. 00:17
      

      A Filetta — U Siplocru

7. Chapter 4

   00:18
   

   Corsica’s nationalist movement.

   (03.55) Permalink

   Andy Kershaw in Ajaccio, talking about Corsica’s nationalist movement and “low-level” guerrilla war, and plays one of Corsica’s pro-independence songs.

8. Music Played

   1. 00:20
      

      Uchatta — Canta U Populu Corsu

9. Chapter 5

   00:22
   

   Singer Jean Paul Poletti.

   (01.55) Permalink

   Andy Kershaw taking a stroll in the medieval town Sartene with one of its most famous citizens, internationally renowned singer Jean Paul Poletti.

10. Chapter 6

    00:27
    

    Chiami Aghialesi.

    (10.57) Permalink

    Andy spends the final evening on the island, in Bar Antoine in the northern town of Bastio with the most politically radical band on the island Chiami Aghialesi (“voices from the flour mill”).

11. Music Played

    1. 00:27
       

       Chjami Aghjalesi — Populu Vivu

12. Chapter 7

    00:38
    

    “Barbara Fortuna” song.

    (03.34) Permalink

    The story of the 18th century Corsican exiles song “Barbara Fortuna” which was later (1914-1918) used as an anthem of resistance to political repression.

13. Music Played

    1. 00:33
       

       Chjami Aghjalesi — Catena

    2. 00:39
       

       Chiami Aghialesi — Barbara Furtuna

14. Chapter 8

    00:41
    

    “Django Reinhardt” style guitar.

    (06.56) Permalink

    Cheche Peche & Ricardo Romani, from Chjami Aghialesi, play on guitars a Jazzy “Django Reinhardt” style version of Duke Ellington’s “All of Me.

15. Music Played

    1. 00:41
       

       Cheche Peche & Ricardo Romani — All of Me

       Composer: Duke Ellington

    2. 00:45
       

       Cheche Peche & Ricardo Romani — Minor Swing

       Composer: Django Reinhardt

16. Chapter 9

    00:48
    

    Franca Masu

    (04.40) Permalink

    The magical voice of Franca Masu starts the second part of the programme in Sardinia, with a song called "Miyona Morena".

17. Music Played

    1. 00:48
       

       Franca Masu — Miyona morena

       BBC recording on location

18. Chapter 10

    00:53
    

    Franca Masu in Alghero

    (06.12) Permalink

    Alghero-born singer Franca Masu talks to Andy Kershaw about the connection between the Sardinian city Alghero and Catalonia in Spain and sings another song.

19. Music Played

    1. 00:57
       

       Franca Masu — Lo nassaiolo

       BBC recording on location

20. Chapter 11

    00:59
    

    Luigi Lai

    (09.43) Permalink

    The village of San Vito, meeting the island’s most famous Launeddas (triple-pipes) player Luigi Lai. Lai demonstrates this 3000 year old instrument.

21. Music Played

    1. 01:00
       

       Luigi Lai — Spinello in F

       BBC recording on location
    2. 01:06
       

       Luigi Lai — Punto d'Organo

       BBC recording on location

22. Chapter 12

    01:09
    

    Elena Ledda

    (08.22) Permalink

    Cagliari in the South of the island. Andy meets the singer Elena Ledda who performs accompanied by a Mandolo, tells Andy about the traditional anti-war song “Our Lady of the War”, and about her life.

23. Music Played

    1. 01:11
       

       Elena Ledda — Our Lady of the War

       BBC recording on location

24. Chapter 13

    01:17
    

    Elena Ledda

    (03.33) Permalink

    Elena Ledda and her friend sing a cappella "Seven Swords", a traditional religious song sung during holy week.

25. Music Played

    1. 01:18
       

       Elena Ledda — Sette Spade (“Seven Swords”)

       BBC recording on location

26. Chapter 14

    01:21
    

    Malos Cantores

    (06.32) Permalink

    Sardinian hip hop band "Malos Cantores", who are inspired by the old tradition of street singers, and sing in the Sardinian language.

27. Music Played

    1. 01:22
       

       Malos Cantores — Canta che ti canto

       BBC recording on location
    2. 01:27
       

       Malos Cantores — Sagalela

       BBC recording on location

28. Chapter 15

    01:27
    

    The "tenores" tradition

    (07.42) Permalink

    The Tenores di Bitti (who Peter Gabriel signed to his Real World label). Spiro, one of the singers, is also a shepherd and cures his own salamis. The tenores sing in the traditional polyphonic style.

29. Music Played

    1. 01:28
       

       Tenores di Bitti — La Serenata

       BBC recording on location
    2. 01:34
       

       Tenores de Bitti — demonstration

       BBC recording on location

30. Chapter 16

    01:35
    

    Tenores di Bitti

    (08.10) Permalink

    The leader of the band tells Andy the story of the country tenores musical tradition, originating by shepherds imitating the voices of cows and sheep, and, in the past, banned by the local police.

31. Music Played

    1. 01:35
       

       Tenores de Bitti — Improvisation at the local bar

       BBC recording on location

Broadcasts

1. Sun 13 Mar 2005
   22:15
   BBC Radio 3
2. Sun 14 Aug 2005
   23:15
   BBC Radio 3