The scholarly book "Secular Vocal Music of the Baroque" offers a comprehensive introduction to the most significant genres of secular vocal music from the Baroque period. It covers a variety of forms, including madrigals, airs de cour, basso continuo songs, cantatas, as well as scenic intermedies and tragédies lyriques. The volume not only illuminates the musical structures but also the cultural and historical contexts that led to the emergence of these genres. Important aspects such as the choice of subjects, authorship, performance spaces, and stage designs are analyzed in depth. Additionally, the book includes detailed analyses of exemplary compositions and short portraits of the most renowned vocal composers between 1600 and 1750, which deepens the understanding of genre specificity and underscores the relevance of vocal music in the Baroque era.