A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Cantate Domino
CANTATE DOMINO is the name by which the 98th Psalm is known in its place as an alternative to the Magnificat in the evening service of the Anglican church. The title is formed of the first words of the Vulgate version, according to the practice of the Anglican Psalter. The 17th canon of the council of Laodicea appointed lessons and psalms to be read alternately; and on this principle the 'Cantate' is to be considered as a 'responsory psalm' coming between the lessons. It has no history attached to it in the position it now occupies, as it was not used specially in the ancient church. It was not in the Prayer-Book of Craniner, which was published in 1549, and consequently does not appear in Marbeck's 'Book of Common Praier Noted,' published in 1550. But it was introduced in the revision of 1552, probably to obviate the recurrence of the Magnificat when that canticle happened to be in the second lesson of the day.
It appears not to have been a favourite with musicians. Indeed the Magnificat is in every way preferable, as regards both the service and the opportunities the words seem to offer to the composer. 'Cantate Services' are therefore rare, and in the most famous collections of our church music there are very few of them. In Barnard there is not one; in Boyce only three, viz. two by Blow and one by Purcell; and in Arnold one by Aldrich and one by King.