Everyone who has been following the career of Anonymous 4 has long known that the real “American Angels” are the four women (five, counting original-now-retired member Ruth Cunningham) who have made this group and its repertoire of medieval chant and polyphony a mainstay in the catalog and a standard against which all others will be measured. These singers, whose purity of tone, respect for historical context and sensitivity to language and style, and overall ability to capture the musical essence of whatever they perform (and always seem to have fun doing it!), have shown that ancient texts and modes and melodies, sacred or secular, can speak to us now–that even these forms and their often obsolete functions retain a vitality and humanness that modern ears and spirits can appreciate amid the sludge and drivel that passes for much of today’s so-called music. And although the program on this new release is several centuries removed from the group’s usual territory, it still comfortably retains the character of “early music”, presenting 20 varied and profoundly engaging examples of early American folk hymns, gospel, and camp revival songs.
The music is a natural fit for these voices, relying as it does on clear, distinct lines and precise intonation to allow the open harmonies to fully resonate, and if you’ve heard other groups perform similar repertoire–Wondrous Love, Resignation, Sweet By and By, Shall we gather at the river, Parting Hand, Amazing Grace, etc.–you’ve never heard it so sweet, pure-voiced, vibrant, and sincere as here. All you have to do is skip to track 4–Sweet hour of prayer–and you’ll be warmed and uplifted by the, yes, angelic harmonies and heartfelt expression. Thankfully, there’s no imposition of artificial “authentic dialect” nor is there an inordinate amount of ornamentation–for the most part the tunes are delivered in the manner they were intended: simply and respectfully. There are two versions of Amazing Grace, the second of which contains the essence of the familiar tune, but it’s buried in the middle of the voicing (typical of this style) so it sounds almost like a new piece. The singers begin several of the selections in the original manner, using fa-sol-la syllables, then continue with the words. As Anonymous 4 approaches the end of its illustrious recording career we can only offer one more round of applause for yet another entertaining, enlightening musical journey with our own American Angels. [1/24/2004]
