The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #99963 Message #1999433
Posted By: GUEST
17-Mar-07 - 09:12 AM
Thread Name: It isn't 'Folk', but what is it we do?
Subject: RE: It isn't 'Folk', but what is it we do?
This has nothing whatsoever to do with class warfare (or hunting - good grief, does this man have a chip on his shoulder or what?)!
There IS a body of work called - perhaps unhelpfully - the tradition, which was created in a particular way which can no longer be replicated today (though other processes do function). That makes it valuable and worthy of respect (not ossification - respect).
It's not esoteric nor only available only to the initiated or the wise. It's everyone's, and free to anyone willing to listen and learn.
No-one is trying to make it excusive, or use it in some class struggle.
What people do try to do is make sure that a now-lost process and finite catalogue is respected, rather than being plundered willy-nilly with no attribution or recognition of its unique values, or, worse, diluted and confused with other different (though maybe equally good new works) which were not made by that now lost process.
It's only the same as recognising and respecting, say, the Impressionist Movement, or De Styl.
If someone today painted a house brick and called it art we could have a debate about its merits and value. But if they said it was a Dutch Master they'd be plain wrong.
And that's all people are doing.
Sadly some writer/players today like Mr Drummer seem so keen to have their own works recognised that they interpret all attempts to preserve the rights of others (in this case a continuum of others) some blockage of their rights.