Anonymous 4 - Ave Maria

Medieval liturgical music seems a much more fitting embodiment of the spirit to me than all the music we generally associate with Christmas. I love the elegance of the lines and the astonishing contrast of voices then merging to sound like just one person. Plain-chant unison is incredibly challenging singing and this group does it breathtakingly well.

I remember seeing them one night in Fort Worth about a dozen or so years ago. It was cold out and late and I was tired and really wanted to blow off going, but I went anyway. I'm so glad I didn't miss it because this is all the more effective in person. I once heard one of the women in Anonymous 4 say this is mystical without being religious. Here's to the mystical enchantments devoid of oppressively zealous cant.