A longtime standard-bearer in the world of a cappella vocal music, Anonymous 4 demonstrated a change in direction from mostly medieval chants to songs of Americana in a sold-out concert at Boulder’s Macky Auditorium Friday night.
As part of the CU Concerts’ Artist Series, the all-female quartet – Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, Jacqueline Horner and Johanna Maria Rose – performed material from their most recent CD release, “Gloryland.”
Accompanied by fiddler Darol Anger and guitarist Scott Ny gaard, the repertoire was based on themes of travel – from inner journeys of love, loss, hope and redemption to external ones of time and place. All good stuff, superbly delivered with spot-on intonation of complex two- and four-part harmonies, along with some vocal duos and solos and instrumental interludes.
Yet the program of religious ballads, gospel songs and shape-note tunes lacked dimension, making for a monochromatic listening experience.
Like an initially inspired conversation that turns dull from a lack of new or varied ideas, the foursome and instrumentalists undermined their collective talent by too narrowly defining their scope. Even the singers’ flowered and patterned Appalachian-style dresses and simple sweaters were a redundant affectation to drive home the evening’s emphasis on folksy Anglo-American sensibilities.
That said, the ensemble delivered on its fine reputation, including an appreciation of the heartfelt sound and spirit of mostly 18th- and 19th-century rural America.
To the understated accompaniment of Anger and Nygaard, Anonymous 4’s cohesiveness shone through in the well-paced ebbs and flows of the uplifting song “Green Pastures,” and Horner’s beautifully cadenced solo in the first half of the program showcased the luminous timbre of her soprano voice.
By the end of the night, however, the performers’ compelling artistry suffered from the lack of emotional and stylistic contrast of their selections, making the “Long Time Traveling” program premise feel like a long time, indeed.
