This program by Irish tenor John McDermott (a well-sung and expertly produced show) was taped in Canada not long after September 11, 2001. Though the atrocity of that day is never mentioned explicitly, the feeling of loss and nostalgia, and the haunting shadow of what has been and what might have been are beautifully reflected, beginning with the opening number, "Try to Remember." A militant flavor appears in "Scotland the Brave" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." War and nostalgia are blended in "Christmas in the Trenches," a story song about the first Christmas of World War I when English and German soldiers suspended hostilities to sing carols together. There is nostalgia without war in "Danny Boy" and "The Old Man." McDermott's facial expressions, dancers, a children's chorus, Scottish scenes, and actors miming "Christmas in the Trenches" all make a strong case for video recording. Added documentary features are excellent. --Joe McLellan
