On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets
This follow-up to Anonymous 4's debut "hit,"An English  Ladymass, is even better. From the choice of repertoire to the proficiency  of the singing to the recorded sound, this is a standard-setting production. The  23 works--plainchants, carols, songs, and motets--invoke various aspects of the  Christmas story: the visitation of the angel Gabriel, tributes to the Virgin  Mary, gifts of the Magi, and hymns of praise for the birth of Christ. The sound  is stunning: resonant yet intimate, warm yet vibrant. And while you can hear the  individual character of each voice, together these four women make a sound of  uncommon purity and beauty. The technical facility is evident with each closing  phrase, each perfect unison. Critics are advised to jealously reserve such words  as outstanding, excellent, and superior. But this is one of those recordings  that deserve all those descriptions.--David Vernier