Album

The nearly inexhaustible supply of medieval and Renaissance music for the Christmas season has happily provided Anonymous 4 with material for yet another holiday album. The Cherry Tree: Songs, Carols & Ballads for Christmas draws on English and Irish sources as well as several from the New World: William Billings, Southern Harmony (1835), and a 15th century English ballad carol in a version collected in Kentucky in 1917. The American selections are especially fascinating, ranging from the exceptionally sweet folk hymns from Southern Harmony to the intricate counterpoint of Billings' late 18th century fuguing tune, Bethlehem, probably the most advanced music written by a North American up to that time. The singers invest the pieces with a distinctively American folk sound without resorting to twangy clichés, often in startling contrast with the straight, pure tone used in the English repertoire. That is hardly a surprise given the group's history and demonstrated skill in adapting to a broad variety of national and regional styles of vocal production. What is unchanging in their work is the life and spirit that the singers breathe into this music; there is nothing academic sounding about their scrupulous attention to the subtleties of the various vocal styles they bring to these wonderfully attractive pieces. The sound of Harmonia Mundi's hybrid SACD is characteristically clean and warm, with a natural, intimate ambience. The CD should interest any fans of the group, anyone looking for appealing new Christmas music, and anyone who loves top-notch a cappella vocal ensembles.

© Stephen Eddins, Rovi

CD 1
Irish Traditional Composer Prophetarum presignata, prosa for vocal ensemble Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
1	Prophetarum presignata, prosa for vocal ensemble	1:29			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer Nowell Sing We (English) Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
2	Nowell Sing We (English)	2:59			$0.99
Anonymous, English Composer Alma Redemptoris Mater, hymn Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
3	Alma Redemptoris Mater, hymn	4:02			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer The Shepherd's Star (American) Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
4	The Shepherd's Star (American)	2:21			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer Nowell, Nowell, Tidings True ('Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, this is the salutation') Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
5	Nowell, Nowell, Tidings True ('Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, this is the salutation')	3:58			$0.99
English Traditional Composer Mervele noght, Josep Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
6	Mervele noght, Josep	6:19			$0.99
Anonymous, English Composer Synge We to Thys Mery Cumpane, carol Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
7	Synge We to Thys Mery Cumpane, carol	3:15			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Qui Creavit Coelum, hymn Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
8	Qui Creavit Coelum, hymn	4:21			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer A Virgin Unspotted (American) Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
9	A Virgin Unspotted (American)	2:34			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer Now may we singen (English) Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
10	Now may we singen (English)	2:45			$0.99
Anonymous Composer This Endere Nyghth, carol Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
11	This Endere Nyghth, carol	3:46			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Star in the East, spiritual Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
12	Star in the East, spiritual	3:15			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Veni redemptor gencium, hymn Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
13	Veni redemptor gencium, hymn	5:29			$0.99
Christmas Traditional Composer The Cherry Tree Carol Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
14	The Cherry Tree Carol	3:10			$0.99
Anonymous, Irish Composer Salve mater misericordie, prosa for vocal ensemble Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
15	Salve mater misericordie, prosa for vocal ensemble	1:30			$0.99
English Traditional Composer Hail Mary Full of Grace (15th Century) Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
16	Hail Mary Full of Grace (15th Century)	4:28			$0.99
William Billings Composer Bethlehem Work Anonymous 4 Chorus/Choir
17	Bethlehem	2:49			$0.99