I happened to catch the programme during a car journey, and enjoyed it. I was impressed that they had found sensible and trusted exponents of folk song to offer their views, rather than resort to cliches (yes, it was a pity about the horse, but at least no one mentioned finger-in-the-ear).

I agree that Peter Piers' long "ah" sound is by no means his main fault. I don't see what's wrong with using his own natural accent. Far worse are the trilled R's and (as Richard says above) the exaggerated emphasis. Folk song at its best is often quite understated in its delivery, yet with utter concentration on the meaning rather than just the sound.

It's a pity if listeners were left with the impression that if you "train" your voice you'll end up singing like Peter Piers or Kathleen Ferrier. There are various respected songers in the folk world who offer training that will enhance the best aspects of traditional singing without introducing irrelevant techniques that belong in the opera house or musical theatre (or, for that matter, in American R&B-stle pop music). Good folk singers have a technique all their own, and although it may sound natural, it's just as much an acquired art as any other form of singing; most modern singers are exposed to so much non-folk singing of various kinds that they need to step back and consider their own genre of music and how best to put it across.

It would have been interesting to hear some classically trained singers consider whether they could or would re-train their voices to deliver a folk song in a more natural, traditional style - it was kind of assumed that if you were going to end a Schubert/Brahms recital with an English folk song, you would deliver it in the same style as the Lieder, and purists would have to take it or leave it.

But you can't do it all in half an hour. Overall, I found it refreshing to hear these questions addressed in a serious and informed manner on mainstream radio.

Marje