This is in the folklore category as it pertains to folk performance. Please remove any BS off topic rather than re categorize.

When is a folk music performance a performance and when does it become a political rally>?

What is a political Rally?

A political rally is a group gathered to hear music etc. who all share a political party or point of view. It is not a forum except where there are internal disagreements within the same general point of view.
Music performed is not intended so much as art or aesthetic experience but as motivation to act. Go out and vote x, stop the war etc.

What is a Folk Concert/Festival?

A folk festival./performance is a forum which celebrates music and folklore not as political statement but as a language for expression, discussion and negotiation. Songs are there as art objects, treasures, heritage. Songs present would illustrate a wide range of points of view, cultural outlooks, traditions, values and would not necessarily agree. Slight exceptions would be songs gathered in groups for workshops focusing on one topic or another or a concert by a particular artist. Music becomes therein a language- A folk festival then would be like a festival of german language wherein many people of many points of view are invited to study and appreciate the language using a common language of expression. Political views and cultural views would be diverse. Like faire festivals now common- not one costume but using the language of costume many expressions the more the merrier with an emphasis on diversity.


How do you know a folk song performance is a folk song performance?

You will know that a folk song performance is not a political rally when people of all varieties of political point of view join in singing. When after the song is over the presenter talks about the following and related topics: Rhyme scheme used in the lyrics, vocabulary used in the lyrics, history of the song, cord progressions used in the melody, history of the melody, background of the presenter, other versions, instruments used....so much to talk about.

How do you know a folk song performance is a political rally?

Easy! At the end of the song the singer shouts out phrases like: "End the war" and the crowd repeats or "stop the baby killing" and everyone repeats or "civil rights for everyone" and the crowd repeats, or "legalize same sex marriages" and the crowd repeats...or any other type of political view. Or when political literature is distributed.

Relevance:

I believe imho that folk music benefits most when music and song are projected as languages for expression rather than means to political ends.

This does not mean that performers and organizers are not free to utilize folk events as political rally's but that it might be helpful for all concerned to protect open forums for the appreciation of art and literature as folk music certainly is.

It does mean that it might be advisable to invest a little time and effort in bringing in the widest spectrum of expression. To include people who have perhaps felt unwelcome in the past. To encourage all sides all points of view to express themselves in artistic works of song and to come and share their works of art of verse and musical notation with the world freely. We have perhaps to do a bit of work to reach out and exclaim that our forums are open.

We do not have to do this but some things that are good are things that we none the less might consider working for.

So now that I have explained my definitions and have demonstrated why this discussion might be of assistance in helping the world of folk music to grow and expand more efficiently. I seek your opinions.

I do not seek BS this is about the folk experience.

Thanks!!

Conrad