If any ensemble knows the proud heritage of American vocal music, it's the San Francisco-based Chanticleer.

In some ways, it's the group's bread and butter. And maybe its ultimate legacy.

And when Chanticleer delves into America's music, that term embraces North, South and Central America.

The ensemble has just embarked on its latest tour of American music, which will bring it to Sacramento's St. Francis Church next Sunday.

Last spring, the ensemble toured a program of music originally written and performed in California missions. For its latest tour, "Wondrous Free," Chanticleer will focus on the music of North America. It's a diverse and bright program that ranges from the baroque to the present day.

The title of the program stems from Francis Hopkinson's song "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free." That song, written in 1759, is being used as an emblem for Chanticleer's tour, said Matthew Oltman, the group's artistic director.

"Every year, we think of a title to our program that not only represents the music but represents the time we're living in," said Oltman. "And for us, it is the idea of the founding of the American song that we will juxtapose with what we feel music can do for the world today."

Though the group will not sing Hopkinson's song, Oltman says the words "wondrous" and "free" aptly describe most of the often-overlooked American music they intend to perform.

"We feel there is such a rich heritage of music that comes from right here in North America," said Oltman via cell phone from Chanticleer's tour bus, which was making its way through Virginia.

"Usually, people think of American music as Stephen Foster or jazz and gospel. But people don't realize that American music also entails music of the late Renaissance and the Baroque."

The works to be performed next Sunday include "Night Chant," a song by contemporary composer Brent Michael Davids, a Mohican Indian. Also on the program is the three-song "Reincarnations" by Samuel Barber, plus three works by Stephen Foster. Also included are two songs by 17th century Spanish composers. The inclusion of the Spanish composers continues Chanticleer's exploration of music that was taught and composed in Mexico, and likely played in the California missions.

"These composers were writing in Mexico, and the songs could have very well been sung in California missions, because the cathedral music of Oaxáca and Guadalajara was the hot music of the Catholic Church in New Spain," Oltman said.

"We forget just how much history we really do have in America when it relates to music," Oltman said. "It does take a little looking and digging around."

Unearthing such works was done with the help of historical musicologist Craig Russell. All told, the diverse program spans almost 300 years of music.

To open its program, Chanticleer will perform four songs that use "shape note" singing – a form of congregational singing that dates from the colonial era. The songs, written in the early 19th century, demand a brassy and loud sound, said Oltman.

Also unusual will be Davids' "Night Chant," based on American Indian chant singing. It demands singing that is quite different than what Chanticleer is used to.

"It's strange to our ears, but it has an incredible freedom," Oltman said. "It's loud and nasal, and has lots of wobble and wiggle in it."

The ensemble will also play a new work by San Francisco composer David Conte.

"We have a lot of steadfast fans in Sacramento, and I think they will find 'Wondrous Free' one of the most diverse programs we've offered," Oltman said.

Call Bee arts critic Edward Ortiz, (916) 321-1071.

CHANTICLEER