Jim Dixon, I think you are right in your analysis of folk music and the necessity of accenting the beat. I have heard plenty of bland classical music. If we take a broad definition of Classical Music to include the works of the Baroque masters, your point about emphasizing the beat also stands up. Because many baroque suites have dance movements in them. Some examples are the various gavottes, gigs, (or gigues, if you will) minuettes, pavannes, courantes, etc. etc. Dance music is dance music. What makes baroque chamber music come alive is paying attention to the beat. Just like in folk music.

Good classical music needs to be performed with as much soul as folk music. And I suspect that how much one is exposed to live performance determines to some extent how soulfully the music will be performed. It is a difficult thing to talk about, or write about. The music needs to be felt by the performer in order for the performance to come alive.
Jim Krause