Klarinet Archive - Posting 000086.txt from 2000/06

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Messiaen Quartet, Intermede (Arr.)
Date: Sat, 3 Jun 2000 16:55:37 -0400

Lori,
You must always speak to the publisher. They might not be interested in your
suggestion - even when <money> is offered. I was refused permission to arr.
the 5 o`clock Foxtrot for wind band, because the publishers wanted to keep
all Ravel`s music in it`s <original form>, in this case, orchestra. Messiaen
is (was) an extremely high profile composer, I would suspect that the
publishers, possibly under instructions from his family will want to do the
same.
If you wish to arrange music, the rule is <check> if it is already covered
by publishing restrictions, which in the U.K. is <taboo> if the composer has
not been pushing up the daisies for a minimum of 70 years. Hence that is why
you can <go to town> on George Gershwin`s <music>, but <not> on the <lyrics>
written by Ira.
I`ve suffered more than most, when 30 years ago I thought I was gonna <clean
up> in the U.K. arr. the Candide overture for wind band. I was forced to
destroy it!!!!!! MUSIC DON`T COME FREE. Composers do 9 -5 the same as
everyone else, and they want <paying> for it, until deceased for 70 years
(U.K.)
Even then, there might be clauses written into contracts, which give the
decendants
a lot of power re restricting usage.
"The Barber of Seville", i.e. Rossini <IS> out of copyright. <EXCEPT>
any specific
arrangements which might not be quite <true> to Rossini`s original
manuscript - his publisher might have persuaded him to alter certain items.
HE MIGHT NOT HAVE. (It would be advisable for Antoine to research the source
of the music he used for the adaption). Thus, that publisher can claim
<rights> over Rossini, after his death. (I don`t know what, and if those
"rights" were similar to what is in use these days tho`).
If the arrangement which Antoine has done, infringes anything which the
publisher can prove is theirs, i.e.
copying note for note out of the printed score; keeping to the <publishers>
repeats/key/routine etc, then theoretically Antoine may be liable. It`s
not likely to be discovered tho`, unless Antoine`s arr. takes the
whole world by storm. Then, the publishers <WILL> look at it, with a view to
claiming a percentage of royalty.
Regards,
Tony W.

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