"Were I you, I'd only sing them to the like-minded."
Isn't this the case with any folk song - you try and get away with Dark Eyed Sailor at a family Christmas party (unless they are all folkies like yourself).
A big ballad only fails in 'folk' company when it is sung badly - if I can sit through a Bob Bleedin' Dylan song I expect the assembled company to have the patience to sit through Tifties Annie.
"Don't treat the ballads with undue reverence;"
Absolutely - as long as the basic work has been done - words, tune, understanding - a big ballad will sing itself.
Rejecting ballads because of their length is equivalent to not reading good literature because it has 'too many pages'.
If a ballad is sung with a level of skill and understanding, and it is enjoyed by the singer, the length (as in all things) shouldn't matter.
"Lord Randall[imo]is a bore"
Cap'n, if you don't like Lord Randall, please respect those of us who do enough to allow us to make up our own minds. Truth be told, I'm not too fond of Thomas The Rhymer, but I wouldn't dream of trying to influence those of you who do.
Jim Carroll