| Anonymous 4 (part of Chamber Music Across America series) |
| Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Theater |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday |
| Info: $38; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org |
Hark! Their voices weave and flow as one in mysterious harmonies, shrouding the identity of each as they deftly shift from part to part. 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. This week they bring to the Kennedy Center 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 200 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.
“This is the fun of medieval music,” she said. “We can sing close harmonies and emphasize the color and timbre of the voices to suit each piece. All of us participate in planning. For instance, I did the American research for ‘The Cherry Tree,’ Susan tends to medieval research and Jacqueline handles our connections with contemporary composers and commissions. When working on a project, we trade around the role we call Program Shepherd, usually the one in charge of research.
“We sing in unison as well as in two, three and four parts. Wherever we perform, people frequently can’t tell who is singing. So many are inspired by our Christmas songs that a record company put together a boxed set of them.”
The members of Anonymous 4 met one another during the 1980s when they were singing in various ensembles in the New York area. After learning that each was drawn to medieval music, they read through songs from that period for their own enjoyment and soon discovered that there was only one women’s ensemble in Europe singing this music and none in America. Heeding the lack of competition, they immediately stepped into the spotlight, which has led to 21 recordings, regular tours through North America and appearances at international festivals.
Already they are researching their next recordings. One is inspired by “Lost Girls,” an Anglo-American folk song. Each song in the set tells something sad that has happened to a girl, her trials and tribulations, and how she responds. The other is “Secret Voices,” 13th-century music discovered in a convent in Spain giving proof that women were not oppressed and prevented from singing during that period.
“There is a great variety of music from the Middle Ages because they lasted a long time,” Genensky said. “They extended from the sixth to the 14th century, so there is no end to the music waiting to be discovered.”
