Traditions, like people, are either living or dead.

An example of a dead tradition, I would say, is the early music movement. Here, songs and tunes are considered as museum pieces, and the overall aim is to perform them as they were in those early days. I really like that. I think pipe and tabor for morris falls somewhat into that category. I like to hear P&T played well (hate it played badly!). But P&T is pretty rare these days, and would struggle to be heard unless it's played solo (or nearly so) and to a small gathering. That is, more or less as it was before the advent of free reed instruments.

The folk scene, for want of a better descriptor, is a live tradition. It changes over time - evolves - making the occasional retrograde step, sure, although natural selection usually sorts those out. I'm sure everyone here is well aware that songs were usually sung unaccompanied and tunes usually played by a soloist. New songs, tunes, instruments and styles enter the tradition and are welcomed and assimilated or they are not.

There are morris sides that seek to maintain the old ways and are resistant to change. I've no problem with that at all. There are also sides that would be pretty much unrecognizable to a time travelling morris dancer from a couple of hundred years ago: big Goth boots, acrobatics, lots of drums and small amps or full PAs et al.

I don't like all new developments - not by a long way - but I think the scene is big enough (in all senses) to accept them.

Gordon