Dick, you seem to be implying that a tune learned from a hammered dulcimer player should only be played on dulcimer, in that person's style. Why shouldn't one of Billy Bennington's tunes be played on melodeon or fiddle or anything else for that matter? We know that the traditional musicians themselves gathered tunes from wherever they could, they certainly weren't bothered about whether it was a "dulcimer tune" or a "fiddle tune".

I think it's probably true that when the English Country Music revivial started there was a lot less concern about individual styles. It may have been true of those at the forefront who were actually going out and finding traditional musicians, but most of us got it second-hand from Old Swan Band and others. It is only as more recordings become available that people have started to look more closely at individual styles. For those who want to, there is now a lot more information and study opportunities than there once were. Nevertheless I feel that most musicians want to develop their own style, picking up the best of what they hear from both traditional and revival players, rather than imitate one particular "old boy".