What a fascinating discussion. We are French Canadian. I had often wondered what was the difference between our stuff and what the 'English' call traditional or folk.

The best description of French Canadian traditional music is a style of playing / singing. This has been reflected in some of the previous posts. For example, "You don't apply to join a tradition; you are born into it and grow up with it all round you as part of your life."

For example, we employed an 'English' (means his first language was English not French, round here) musician last year (we are professional). He was a really excellent musician and had played with really top (international) artists and groups. But he just didn't well sound right - despite playing all the right notes and even playing them in the right places.

Originally French Canadian music was unaccompanied, so re-arrangement is normal. Plus my wife is a devil for re-writing the lyrics, never seems to be the same song twice as far as she is concerned. But again that is in the tradition.

This evolving form has appeared in other posts about non-'English' folk / tradition.

Thanks guys, very interesting indeed.