Re: music and copyright

From: Bernard Katz <bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca>
Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 06:52:10 -0500 (EST)

On Wed, 5 Jan 2000, Stephen Fishman <sfish55[_at_]yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 3 Jan 2000, Julie Miran <jmiran1[_at_]swarthmore.edu> wrote:
> >
> > In a modern edition of the score of a musical composition that
> > was originally published prior to 1924, what elements are under
> > copyright? For example, given a score of a composition by J.S. Bach
> > as published in the new critical edition, I assume that all elements
> > of the score that come directly from 18th or 19th century sources
> > are not under copyright. Thus, one might freely photocopy pages
> > from the score as long as modern editorial elements such as fingering
> > suggestions, translations, advice on performance practice, and text
> > explaining the editor's decisions are omitted. Is this correct?
>
> You're absolutely right.

Some of the "modern editorial elements" might include interpretive indications, such as ligatures, pedal markings, crescendo and decrescendo notations, etc. as well as suggestions like "dolce" and "pianissimo", etc. Take care to use the authentic 19th text!

Cheers,
Bernard Katz, Head, Special Collections and Library Development McLaughlin Library, University of Guelph, Guelph ON Canada N1G 2W1

   and Chair, Ontario Library Association Copyright Task Force bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca // (519) 824-4120 X2089 // FAX: (519) 824-6931

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Received on Thu Jan 06 2000 - 11:56:08 GMT