On Sunday, May 15, 2005 10:22 AM, Andre Engels andreengels@gmail.com wrote:
On 5/15/05, Wouter Steenbeek musiqolog@hotmail.com wrote:
We need to have a discussion of how to handle music copyright issues.
[Snip]
I think it is only the composer and the musicians who have to give permission (and the text writer in case of a song). Can someone acknowledge or correct me?
This is not entirely correct, AIUI: the act of type-setting the score is not considered a "mechanical" reproduction of the music, but, instead, an artistic work worthy of copyright - the manner of scoring can chanage the tone of the piece, and so the setter has to try to work out what the composer meant.
This way in which the score is set out is then, in effect, an arrangement of the original music, and so, when the score is played, the copyright of the composer, the score-setter, the musicians, and the conductor (if appropriate) are all taking an artistic part in the creation of copyright, and so we would need the permission of each of them. Note that most score-setting is done on a work-for-hire basis for large companies like Boosey & Hawkes, who are extremely unlikely to give permission for free
However, this is only my understanding, and could be wrong; I will ask a couple of friends of mine who professionally score-set for their insight.
Yours,