In a second pilgrimage to the roots of Anglo-American vocal music,Anonymous 4 are joined by instrumentalists Darol Anger and Mike Marshall for a selection of hauntingly beautiful religious folk songs and gospel hymns that tell a story of love and loss, hope and redemption.July 14, NEW YORK (Billboard) - When classical vocal ensemble Anonymous 4 announced last year that its members would no longer work together full time, the group broke many fans´ hearts. During the last 18 years as one of the world´s premier early-music ensembles, the four singers (Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, Jacqueline Horner and Johanna Maria Rose) created a string of unlikely chart-busters running from their first album, 1992´s ´An English Ladymass,´ to last year´s ´American Angels,´ which spent a year and a half on Billboard´s Classical chart and has sold 80,000 copies. Through its recordings, the group opened listeners´ ears to an incredible variety of repertoire from far off the beaten path Its material ranged from 12th-century songs from female poet/composer/mystic Hildegard of Bingen to medieval Hungarian compositions to music written for Anonymous 4 by contemporary British composer John Tavener.With ´American Angels,´ the group ventured into even more unusual territory 18th- and 19th-century American gospel hymns, folk tunes and camp revival songs. The album´s overwhelming success persuaded the quartet to regroup for follow-up ´Gloryland,´ which arrives September 12. For this outing into Americana, the group joins forces with two guest artists who really know their way around this landscape guitarist/mandolinist Mike Marshall and violinist/ mandolinist Darol Anger. In fact, the Americana bug has hit two members of Anonymous 4 particularly hard. Genensky and Hellauer are teaming up as a new duo, dubbing themselves the Lost Girls. (The duo´s name comes from a song on ´Gloryland.´) Genensky says, ´Our first recording session is tentatively scheduled for next summer after the conclusion of the ´Gloryland´ tour.´ As with Anonymous 4, the Lost Girls will record for Harmonia Mundi. ´Our first project will also be of American traditional music,´ Genensky explains, but quickly adds that the Lost Girls´ planned travels won´t begin and end there. Hellauer notes, ´We don´t need to be rooted in a single style.The idea of mixing popular and classical music is something we´ve played with in A4, but the Lost Girls will take that concept even further.´ALSO AVAILABLE HMU907326 American Angels - ´Shall we gather at the river, Parting Hand, Amazing Grace...you´ve never heard it so sweet, pure-voiced, vibrant, and sincere as here...one more round of applause for yet another entertaining, enlightening musical journey from our own American Angels.´ ClassicsToday.com.