Malolm, where do you get the idea of "less often instrumental music" from? I would have thought the "fiddle and pipes in an alehouse" scenario would have been standard since time immemorial.What social pressure could have prevented it, given the enormous numbers of musicians,the popularity of music, and presumably the readiness of mine host to ensure with the odd free pint, if not always money, that the fiddlers came to his place and not the Dog and Dumpling next door?