What is Cancioneiro Geral?
Q: What is Cancioneiro Geral?
A: Cancioneiro Geral is an anthology of Portuguese poetry organized by the poet Garcia de Resende and published in 1516. It contains poems by Portuguese authors from the 15th and 16th centuries, making it the largest collection of Portuguese poetry at that time.
Q: Who was Garcia de Resende?
A: Garcia de Resende (1470-1536) was a poet, chronicler and courtier in the court of D. Manuel I who compiled almost a thousand poems from 286 authors for Cancioneiro Geral.
Q: When was Cancioneiro Geral first published?
A: The first edition of Cancioneiro Geral was published in 1516 by Hermão de Campos and dedicated to Prince John, future John III of Portugal.
Q: What are some examples of themes found in Cancioneiro Geral?
A: Themes found in this book include palatial life, religious topics, love, elegies, and attempts at epic poetry.
Q: How does Cancioneiro Geral compare to other works like Carmina Burana or Tottel’s Miscellany?
A: All three works are collections of poetry but they differ slightly in their content; Carmina Burana is a collection of medieval Latin songs while Tottel’s Miscellany consists primarily of English Renaissance lyrics. In comparison, Cancioneiro Geral contains mostly Portuguese poems written between the mid-fifteenth century to early sixteenth century with some Castilian pieces as well.
Q: Are all the poems meant to be sung or danced?
A: No, unlike troubadour songs which were meant to be sung or danced upon release, most poems within this book are autonomous without any specific rhythm or pace intended beyond what can be achieved through word choice and verse structure alone.
Q: Who are some notable poets featured in this book?
A: Notable poets included João Roiz de Castel-Branco , Sá de Miranda , Bernardim Ribeiro , Francisco de Sá de Miranda's , and Garcia de Resende himself .
