Cantes Diversos, a Unique Ladino Literary Periodical from Salonika: New Findings and Revised Insights

Cantes diversos, a literary periodical published in Salonica in 1929-1930, was dedicated almost entirely to poems and songs. The songs belong to the genre of Cantes populares (Ladino texts written to melodies of contemporary popular songs), while the poems are of various structures. Until recently, only seven of at least 14 issues were known: nos. 6-8, 10 and 12-14. The only copies of these issues are found in the library of the Salti Center for Ladino Studies at Bar Ilan University. Thorough research of these issues left unanswered questions, for example: were the songs actually sung in the community? What is the explanation for unique features such as no date of publication, no indication of the publisher or crediting a fictitious printing house? Was it published as a humoristic journal or as a literary periodical? Was it an independent publication or a section of another one? If so – which one? The findings of this research were presented in my article "Cantes diversos, An Unknown Literary Periodical from Salonica", El Prezente 8-9 (2015), pp. 127-147.

Recently, four previously unknown issues of Cantes diversos were donated to the Salti Center. They include issues 1,2 ,9 and 11. These issues provide new and important information and clarify some of the unsolved mysteries in the original research. In my paper I will present what is known so far about Cantes diversos, focusing on discoveries found in these issues, in particular, the links between songs published in Cantes diversos and the oral poetry tradition.