Right management of classical music (J.S. Bach in particular)

[Ferdinanda]

Hello! I'm a new member to the forum and a long time music student.

I'm trying to enter a video contest, but we are not allowed to use music we do not have specific rights to. One of Bach's Fugues would be ideal for my video, but I don't know if I'm allowed to use it!

I heard that after so many hundred years, classical pieces become public domain. Is this true?

If you can back this up with a legitimate source, please do! It would be greatly appreciated. I have until August 8th to enter!


Ferdinanda

[Krummhorn]

Hi Ferdinanda,

Firstly, welcome aboard to this great forum community. We hope you will return often and become a regular participant in the discussions here.

As to your question:
There is a terrific public domain site ... click on this ---> IMSLP that has over 33,600 scores available for downloading. I use this site all the time for organ scores myself.

The only caveat is that different countries have different copyright laws. The US is 70 years after death ... some European countries it's 100 years after death. Canada, for instance is 50 years after death, I think.

Anyway, check that site out - I'm certain you will find what you are looking for.

[Ferdinanda]

Thank you so much for your reply!

Are you sure it's 70 years after death in the US? I need to be certain so I don't get disqualified after all the work I'm putting into this video.


Ferdinanda

[el_supremo]

You don't need to worry about copyright with Bach *if* you are performing the music. But a *performance* of Bach's music can also be copyrighted. So, you can't just use a performance that's ripped from a CD (or copied from a movie's audio track etc) without permission from whoever holds the rights to that performance.

Pete

[dll927]

My understanding is that some organs are now equipped with computers that can record and replay a performance. Modern version of the old player pianos??

When Lloyd Holzgraf, long-time organist at First Congregational Los Angeles, died, the story was that he "played at his own funeral". Nice going. Of course, if you have that organ(s), just about anything is possible.

[Ferdinanda]

Thank you all so much for your help my video is done and submitted to the contest. I put the sheet music into a music program (a cheap one sadly) and played around with the effects to make it sound as close to an organ as possible.


Ferdinanda