You have set off a big subject here, not only have you set the ball rolling about 'traditional music' but also about the 'nationality' of the music as well.

Best tackle these one at a time (By the way I've just completed my last assignment of the year, so I've got plenty of time to get my teeth into this one!!)

Traditional music, this has been spoken about, argued about and will always be talked about. I think traditional music is music made by people, for those people within a traditional idom. The songs that you have written know doubts have a very similar structure to the other traditional songs you sing and for all intents and purposes there traditional, if you think they aren't just say you don't know who wrote it then they will be traditional!! Many songs have now entered the tradition and some arid traditionalists belive that they are traditional, take 'Bring us a barrel' This is sung in many folk clubs and sing-a-round's in the UK and some who don't know who wrote it now think its traditional, and who can blame them! In fact it was written by Keith Marsden, I knew Keith and yet now I hear that song sung next to so many other (?) traditional songs that I keep having to remind myself who wrote it!

Right onto referring to music in terms of its nationality, why do you call it an irish session if its in Japan and theres no Irish there?, Why do you call Cheshire Cheese, Cheshire Cheese when its made in South Yorshire? Its quite complex, yet quite simple why really, Cheshire Cheese TASTES like Cheshire Cheese and Irish music SOUNDS like Irish music. So why do different nationalities music's sound different. There are a number of reasons. Different countries have different climates, cultures, traditions, music and musical instruments. (obviously ignoring the western worlds Orchestras and standard instruments and only looking at the pure traditional music and song) It is first the instruments then the music which outline that nationalities music. The instruments may have particular scales. In the western world we use a chromatic scale

C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C

Yet an indian scale is: -

C – D – E – Gb – Ab – Bb – C

Hence the different sound

So how do different countrys music's sound different even if they use the same scale? This is to do with the composition of the tunes or perhaps the time signitures it may also be to do with what songs are sung with them or what dances are danced with them. Some names of these are the Polska (sweden), Buree (france), Reel (Ireland), you could not dance a buree to a polska, nor a reel to a polska, etc... Of course there are always certain things which run through different traditions and music. Relating to songs in Qubeck there is a lot of calling ( Check out La Bottine Souriante)

Hello people (main singer) Hello people (audience) etc...

And in Scandinavia there is a very high type of singing which the shepards in Scandinavia used to call to each other with. To check some of this out check Gjallahorn from finland.

Anyway I think I have said enough, These are all just my opinions but I think I am right, anyway as long as the music's good who cares!!!!!!!!!

Bye, Sam