Although a little of its novelty has worn off and it has been a bit upstaged in recent years by groups following in its footsteps, Anonymous 4 remains as spellbinding as ever.
That was made clear Thursday evening, as the famed vocal quartet appeared on the University of Denver’s Newman Center Presents series as part of a 25th anniversary tour and offered a Christmas program like no other.
After a recording that skyrocketed to the top of the classical charts, Anonymous 4 became unlikely stars the 1990s. It was unlikely, because the group specialized in obscure and seemingly arcane vocal music from the Middle Ages.
But performing with unwavering commitment and flawless intonation and precision, the group made those forgotten works from centuries ago sound astonishingly fresh and contemporary.
The surprise has worn off over time but, if anything, the appeal of this music — an antidote against the increasingly high-tech, impersonal world we live in — has only grown stronger.
With the Anonymous 4, there is no accompaniment, no amplification and no fancy staging. It’s just four rarefied voices — pure, simple and stunning. It’s a formula that has worked for 25 years, and it was as successful as ever Thursday evening.
In this yuletide concert, the group ranged across several languages, including early English and French, and touched on vocal traditions from Hungary to Spain and even Appalachia.
While most of the selections were written sometime in the Middle Ages (none older or more mystical than the dark-hued section from a 10th century Mass that ended the first half), the program also included a couple of contemporary works.
Most notable was “The Wood and the Vine,” a semi-narrative new work written in a medieval spirit by David Lang, founder of the new-music ensemble, Bang on a Can. Though probably a bit too long, it nonetheless had its share of striking moments.
For whatever reason, the second half came off stronger than first with highlights aplenty, including Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek’s compelling solo version of a traditional Irish hymn, “Flight Into Egypt,” and a penetrating trio take on the medieval Hungarian song, “Novus AnnusAdiit.”
