A Historical Overview of Musical Worship & Culture in Sardinia 463
arms, connected by a yoke (crossbar) to tighten the strings. On
the historical origins and the different typologies of this instru-
ment, several problems still exist, which remain unresolved.
Citharede A singer who accompanies himself on the cithăra. The ultimate
Citharede was Apollo, considered in mythology the inventor of
the instrument.
Communio Chant of the Proprium missae.
Contra 1. Term used as an abbreviation for Contratenor which designates
one of the voices in the fourteenth-century musica mensurabi-
lis in the Ordinarium missae. Emblematic is Barcelona, Central
Library, MS 971 (code known as Barc C), with different attesta-
tions of the word Contra. See: Barc C1 (Kyrie), Tenor, Contra;
Barc C2 (Gloria), Quinta, Tenor, Contra; Barc C3 (Credo called
Sortis, composed by Steve de Sort, the organist of the Aragonese
Royal Chapel), Tenor, Contra; Barc C4 (Sanctus), Contratenor;
Barc C5 (Agnus), Tenor, Contra 1, Contra 2. Subsequently, when
the Contra Altus (or simply Altus) was added to the polyphonic
texture, the Contra was called Bassus. 2. Denomination of a voice
in the Sardinian “multipart singing,” music of oral tradition,
which is used both in the singing a tenore and in the singing
a cuncordu. An etymological derivation Contra<Contratenor is
conceivable (but definitely not a musical one). On the MS 971,
see M.a Carmen Gómez Muntané, https://botiga.bnc.cat/publi-
cacions/2516_Gomez.%20Manuscrito.pdf.
Credo. Creed Chant of the Ordinarium missae. It was introduced in Rome
quite late, only after 1014.
Cuncordu (cantu a) “Multipart singing” of the Sardinian oral tradition, spread espe-
cially in the circles of the brotherhoods. The nomenclature of
the voices is varied. Among the different types, we mention the
case of Santu Lussurgiu, with the voices oghe; contra; cuntraltu;
bassu.
Cuntraltu Name of one of the voices in the Sardinian “multipart singing,”
music of oral tradition; i.e. in the cantu a cuncordu of Santu
Lussurgiu.
Curatorìa In the Sardinian language curadorìa (plural: curadorìas). It
constituted the main administrative, fiscal, and judicial division
in the kingdoms of Sardinia at the time of the giudicati.
Dance of Death Sometimes referred to as Danse macabre, it is transcribed with
neumes in the ff. 26v–27r of the *Llibre Vermell. Its form is that
of the virelai.