The Unbroken Circle: Vermont Music, Tradition And Change

Shouldn't potential buyers be informed when "new" videos were actually filmed and aired ten years ago? It seems only fair to include this information on the box or in the press release, yet this distributor does neither; a thump on the tape heads to them. The Unbroken Circle gives a decent overview of the past eighty-five--er, ninety-five years of home grown music, from people in Vermont who grew up singing their parents' songs, performers from the golden days of radio, and professional folklorists. While the content of this film might not be substantially effected by the age of the production, today's viewer does expect some stylistic elements which are missing. Still, the focus here is on the people rather than the music itself. That said, this tape may well find a happy home in public libraries. Old-time music has not died despite the elegiac tone of this video. As evidenced by hundreds of festivals across the nation, people of all ages are still interested in playing and hearing folk music. Order where interest exists. (R. Reagan)