Psalm 96: O Sing Unto The Lord A New Song (Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neues Lied) / Psalm 42: As Pants The Hart For Cooling Streams (Wie Der Hirsch Schreit Nach Frischem Wasser)

Released in 1963 on the Cantate label, this recording features the Collegium Musicum of Rutgers University under the direction of Alfred Mann. The production was part of an effort to bring historically informed performances of Handel’s works to a wider audience, focusing on his anthems and psalms. The ensemble utilized period-appropriate techniques, reflecting the burgeoning interest in early music scholarship that characterized the academic and performance landscape of the mid-20th century.

The album serves as a notable entry in the catalog of the Cantate label, which specialized in sacred music and high-fidelity archival recordings of German Baroque compositions. The cover design and liner notes emphasize the serious, scholarly pursuit of the performances, with the release receiving modest critical attention for its commitment to authentic instrumentation and choral precision, typical of the liturgical music revival prevalent in the 1960s.