Cantos antigus

Cantos Antigus is a popular anthology of verses and traditional songs of Onfalu.
First compiled in 1967, it is now at its 23rd edition and revision, new verses are added at every iteration, so much that it's now published in six volumes of more than 400 pages each (now mostly distributed in electronic format for easier consultation and the added value of musical files and videos attached to the articles).
As peculiar an interest as it might seem, the volumes have been so popular that it's unusual for a household to not possess at least a copy of it.
It also has a twin tome, Pregadorias Antigas, a collection of traditional prayers.
Cantos Antigus is subdivided in X sections, one for each type of songs and poetries:

Chapter I - Cantos a chiterra: It collects the anthology of the songs traditionally accompanied by the guitar, and subdivided in its numerous geographical and thematic variations.
Chapter II - Cantos a tenore: A type of polyphonic songs for four voices (bass, baritone, contralto and solo singer).
Chapter III - Mutos e battorinas: These are in the form of the traditional improvisational songs, some of which have become so famous that they've lost their extemporaneous nature and thought to deserve to be recorded in print.
Chapter IV - Hymnos: Here are collected mostly patriotic songs that, despite not following the previous metric schemes, have a historical significance.
Chapter V - Poesias: Here are collected the poems that have not been arranged for the musical accompaniment, as it usually happens.

Though the volumes were born as a mundane collection for the preservation of the musical and poetic history of Onfalu, in their pages abound the cantos of mystical and religious significance. Virtually every Istrias is familiar with the book and holds a copy where they bookmark their favourite songs to be used in their rituals.

Hymn

Cantu a tenore

Type

Text, Literary (Novel/Poetry)