Anonymous Glory

The demise of Anonymous 4 has been greatly exaggerated. In 2003, the four-voice female a cappella ensemble, known for its explorations of medieval music, announced it was cutting its schedule in half. Rumors flew, suggesting that the group had disbanded entirely, but what really happened, says ensemble member Marsha Genensky, is that the group trimmed its schedule in order to “pursue all the things we couldn’t do while cloistered together.”

After almost twenty albums of medieval and Renaissance music, the group tried a new approach, resulting in its new CD, Gloryland, which explores religious ballads, folk songs, folk hymns, and gospel songs drawn from the Anglo-American spiritual tradition.

“We still love medieval music, but we needed new challenges,” she says.

To prove they are still going strong, Anonymous 4 will be appearing at Sommerfest, July 19, at Orchestra Hall. Their program, part of the Long Time Traveling Tour, features music from the new CD. And for once, they are eschewing their a cappella tradition. On this album and tour, they are joined by Darol Anger on fiddle and guitarist Scott Nygaard in an effort to follow the traditional performance practices of the Ozark and Appalachian mountains. “We wanted to take it one step further, with a lot of banging and plucking,” Genensky says.

Anyone who has ever heard them, however, knows that all that banging and plucking is bound to sound beautiful. One of the distinctive touches that the group brings to its music is a deep knowledge of the original material and a deep respect for tradition. At least two of the gospel songs on the latest CD are arranged and performed to capture the spare three-part harmonies of  the original compositions. July 19. Orchestra Hall, 612-371-5656

Reach Randy Beard at randybeard@hotmail.com.