"Jim, you say "A book is for repetition not creativity - simple as
that."
Can people interpret while reading from a page? I've never seen it happen.
Harmonies, counterpoint - if that's your choice - surely you emabark on these when you have the technicalities under your belt, not when you are anxious about remembering the words and tune? And don't harmonies and counterpoint imply singing as a group rather than solo singing; It is very much the latter I am referring to.
If we are talking about group singing, you have the added problem of working out the breathing and phrasing, otherwise the end product is a ragged mess.
I was never a great fan of The Watersons, but I was always impressed by the amount of work they must have put in beforehand to produce the sound they did.
The more I read on this thread the more I come to the opinion that we are talking unsatisfactory compromise in place of work.
Jim Carroll