Klarinet Archive - Posting 000149.txt from 2010/07

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Sheet music copyright
Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:56:12 -0400

At 11:58 AM 7/8/2010, you wrote:
>On 07/08/2010 05:20 AM, Bill Hausmann wrote:
> > There are exceptions, but , in the main, theaters do not commission
> > and develop their own works. PRODUCERS do, with the assistance of
> > writers, composers, directors, actors, etc. They RENT a theater to
> > perform the work in. Some, like Rodgers and Hammerstein, formed a
> > company to publish their own work. Others hire people to do
> > it. Producers do shows to make money, and they need to make a LOT of
> > money on their hits to cover the extensive losses on the flops. The
> > overhead involved in producing a musical is ENORMOUS. (I recently
> > finished reading a biography of Hal Prince.)
>
>Important clarification, thank you Bill :-)
>
>Still -- there is probably space for a producer model where the sheet
>music itself can be freely copied, as long as productions pay fees.
>Factor in the marketing aspect -- the free publicity and increased
>number of shows due to availability of material -- and that's a
>conceivable model.

They give NOTHING away for free, and I'm sure they have no intention
of EVER doing so. More performances are irrelevant to them if they
do not get paid for them, and in fact, are seen (with every good
reason) to harm the legitimate productions by siphoning off
customers. They won't even let community groups perform a show if a
touring company will pass through the region around the same time, or
a revival on Broadway is planned. They could not stop such a
production if the materials were available free on-line, but they can
if they are available only as rentals. Broadway shows are major cash
cows for the publishers and are jealously guarded.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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