"1865: Songs of Hope and Home from the American Civil War," released in January 2015 on Harmonia Mundi, pairs the all-female a cappella ensemble Anonymous 4 with old-time fiddler and singer Bruce Molsky. Recorded for the 150th anniversary of the war's end, the album draws on parlor songs, soldier ballads, and back-country tunes in actual circulation during 1861–1865, spanning the experiences of soldiers and civilians on both sides. Molsky's fiddle and banjo anchor the material in its Appalachian roots while Anonymous 4's pure unaccompanied vocal blend — heard here for the last time before the quartet disbanded — gives the record an almost sacred gravity. Critics praised the depth of its historical research and the unusual pairing of old-time and medieval vocal traditions.
Tracklist
- 1 Weeping, Sad and Lonely, or, When this Cruel War is Over 5:23
- 2 Darling Nelly Gray 5:32
- 3 Hard Times (Come Again No More) alt version 4:21
- 4 Sweet Evelina 2:56
- 5 Bright Sunny South 3:20
- 6 The Southern Soldier Boy / Rebel Raid 3:48
- 7 Tenting on the Old Camp Ground 4:36
- 8 Aura Lea 5:56
- 9 Listen to the Mocking Bird 3:16
- 10 Camp Chase 2:19
- 11 Brother Green 2:59
- 12 The Faded Coat of Blue, or, The Nameless Grave 3:32
- 13 The Maiden in the Garden 3:40
- 14 The True Lover's Farewell 2:29
- 15 Home, Sweet Home / Polly Put the Kettle On 3:10
- 16 The Picture on the Wall 3:02
- 17 Abide with Me 3:25
- 18 Shall We Gather At The River 3:06
