The Oxford book of Portuguese verse : XIIth century-XXth century

Spanning more than eight centuries, this anthology gathers the rich tapestry of Portuguese verse from its earliest medieval chants to the modernist voices of the twentieth century. Listeners travel through the nation’s formative years, hearing the troubadour‑inspired cantigas de amor, the biting cantigas de maldizer, and the uniquely Portuguese cossantes that blossomed in the Tagus valley. An introductory essay sets the historical scene, explaining how Portugal’s coastal position and its ties to France, Spain, and the Crusader routes shaped a poetry that is at once regional and cosmopolitan.

The collection showcases a surprising breadth of styles: lyrical love songs, satirical court pieces, devotional hymns, and the spirited compositions of kings such as Dinis and Sancho I. Each poem is rendered with clear narration that preserves the original rhythm while offering subtle contextual notes, inviting both newcomers and seasoned readers to appreciate the language’s evolution. It is a vivid audio journey into a literary heritage that has long waited to be heard.