The abundance of sources related to the operas of Neapolitan composers from the first half of the eighteenth century has tended to place in the shade their contribution to the genre of the cantata, which nevertheless is considerable, to judge from the quantity of surviving manuscripts preserved in libraries all over Europe. A study of the Neapolitan chamber cantata cannot dispense with a few preliminary historically oriented remarks, especially in relation to the concepts of 'Neapolitan music' and a 'Neapolitan School'. Since the repertory of cantatas was intended for immediate practical use, it is essential to locate it in a well-defined cultural context that was also its original destination. The case of Leonardo Vinci, rendered exceptional by the Spanish sources specially adapted for use in their new locale, perhaps opens up a new front in the study of the cantata, showing how, just like the sonata, the genre can, if required, wear 'da chiesa' garb.