The problem is, do we want to simply copy what has been done before or try to advance the music ? If all we ever do is attempt to faithfully reproduce what the originators did, everything will just stagnate, and eventually die,whereas taking the original and doing your own treatment of it either it will work or it wont. If it works it will advance the music, if it doesnt work no one will take any notice. People like Martin Carthy and Nic Jones took traditional songs
and gave them a new life by adding good accompaniments so that people now are taking MC an NJ's suff further along.And a lot of bands have re-arranged old songs and given them a new lease of life.By all means listen to the originators and learn from them,but at the same time try
not to let the whole thing just become a museum piece.