Quality, or just good fun?

Opinions vary greatly on the question of the standards we should expect from folk singers and instrumentalists, and occasionally the differences bubble over into hot debate in the music press or on the folk music internet newsgroups.

One such debate has recently been raging on uk.music.folk, and it has drawn opinions from extreme sides of the argument.

There are those who believe that if people are going to perform in public they should first reach a minimum standard of professionalism. The contention here is that we shouldn't have to put up with people singing or playing out of tune, forgetting words mid-song, stumbling to a halt mid-tune or generally being naff. Although such failings are politely tolerated in some folk clubs, they give folk music a bad image and should not be condoned.

Others think this is a pompous view and out of kilter with the origins of folk music. This is essentially an informal social activity with its roots among simple folk who had no pretensions of being professional entertainers, and we should continue to treat it as such. What's important is having a good time, and if friends and neighbours find it amusing when Uncle Fred does his tuneless party piece, that's all that matters.

As with many arguments, it depends on context. Sure, folk music remains essentially a cultural activity of the common man, but it is also a big industry embracing sophisticated art forms. Within its huge diversity it can and does accommodate the professional and the amateur, the stylish and the crude, the polished showcase and the simple fun.

Obviously if someone is taking money for the sale of tickets for a formal concert they should deliver a performance which is professional enough to represent reasonable value. But if a bunch of pals just enjoy themselves with tunes and songs in an informal gathering in a bar, it's hardly appropriate to make sniffy artistic judgements.

Sometimes there are outstandingly good performances at informal gatherings, and inevitably there are sometimes mediocre shows in posh concert-halls, so you certainly can't equate quality with the formality of the setting.

But any view about desired standards should surely take into account what's an appropriate expectation for each particular situation. No need to dumb down when the circumstances imply high quality, but equally no need to be pompous when the only aspiration is simple fun.

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