Musicians
Musicians
There are thousands of amateur folk musicians who play English folk music at home, in informal sessions, at folk clubs, for dancing and at celebrations. There are also many professional folk musicians who perform at places like arts centres, folk clubs and other music venues. You can also find folk festivals in England, where people gather together to watch and take part in folk music, dance and related arts.
Musicians have helped to keep English instrumental folk music alive over the centuries. They have played the tunes and passed them on orally, without writing them down. They have also been recognised and listened to by collectors, who have commented, notated and recorded their interpretations of what they heard. This has enabled future generations to keep playing the material.
Sadly, there is often very little known about the original musicians that provided the collectors with the tunes in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library online archive and other collections. Sometimes we only know their names, and occasionally their age or occupation.
The invention of audio recording and broadcasting has provided more opportunities for musicians to be recorded and heard than in previous generations. This has made it easier for individuals to be appreciated for their repertoire and style.
