Anonymous 4 Herald the Music of the Middle Ages

Anonymous 4 Herald the Music of the Middle Ages

They are, of course, Anonymous 4, the vocal ensemble whose repertoire runs from medieval gems to traditional American ballads and works by singular contemporary composers Peter Maxwell Davies, John Tavener, Steve Reich and Richard Einhorn.

The very visible members are Californian Marsha Genensky and New York residents Ruth Cunningham, Susan Hellauer and Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek. Their latest recording is a Christmas gift of carols and ballads inspired by "The Cherry Tree Carol."

One of many such carols sung at religious events or to teach a moral lesson, it emerged in the British Isles during the 15th century, composed by Franciscan missionaries who had been traveling there for two hundred years to spread Christianity.

The original carol was passed down through multiple generations until it reached America. The seven verses tell of Mary's request for cherries because she is with child, Joseph's initial anger until Jesus speaks from Mary's womb, and Joseph's plea for forgiveness. The pattern of most songs in the set begins with an opening, or solo stanza, followed by a refrain sung by a chorus. However, the Anonymous 4 arrangement of "The Cherry Tree," is for a soloist who might be tending to chores in a shack perched on a mountainside or wending her way through a shady Appalachian hollow.

Music director Genensky talked about the flexible voices of Anonymous 4 and their ability to emulate harmonious cathedral choristers as easily as they blend faultlessly in a plaintive melody. The fun of medieval music, she emphasized, is its variety that allows them to sing in close harmonies and emphasize the color and timbre of the voices to suit each piece.

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