The Standard Cantatas: Their Stories, Their Music, and Their Composers A Handbook

"The Standard Cantatas: Their Stories, Their Music, and Their Composers" by George P. Upton is a 19th-century handbook offering a detailed exploration of the cantata genre. It starts by explaining the history and changes in the cantata form, discussing what makes a cantata when these musical pieces can be so different. The handbook showcases important composers like Bach, Berlioz, and Beethoven, looking at their important pieces and musical environments. Upton wrote this as an educational guide for music fans, especially those without formal training, to help them understand and appreciate the cantata and its place in music history by giving sketches about the music, stories, and composers of different cantatas.