Page "Folk music" Paragraph 18

Opinions differed over the origins of folk music: it was said by some to be art music changed and probably debased by oral transmission, by others to reflect the character of the race that produced it.

Traditionally, the cultural transmission of folk music is through learning by ear, although notation may also be used.

The competition of individual and collective theories of composition set different demarcations and relations of folk music with the music of tribal societies on the one hand and of " art " and " court " music on the other.

The traditional cultures that did not rely upon written music or had less social stratification could not be readily categorized.

In the proliferation of popular music genres, some traditional folk music became also referred to " World music " or " Roots music ".