Another question about copyright?

MozartMan wrote on 11/19/2003, 5:24 PM

Hi everybody,

I am working on wedding video, and I want to use background music for the menus.
I have in mind music either from Bach, Mozart, or Sergei Rachmaninoff.
I heard some time ago that if composer dies, copyright stays only for 50 years after his death.
Is this true?
If this is true, so I can use Bach, Mozart (they both died in 18th century) or Rachmaninoff (he died in 1943, 60 years ago) music.

But what about the performer? Do I have to be concerned about the musicians, who performed their music?

Thanks.

Comments

kameronj wrote on 11/19/2003, 6:31 PM

Last question first.

Yes you have to be concerned about the musicians who performed the music.

I haven't read the copyright law in a week or two - but I think it is more like 70 years. But you can find all you need to about copyrights at their website: www.loc.gov/copyright

But here is my take on it.....no one is going to come bamming down your door for making a wedding video and using some classical music that you may have in your music collection. Is it legal - not really. Are you going to get sued for a couple of DVDs being made? Not really.

However, on the other hand - if your business is making wedding video's and you are making a pretty penny doing these types of DVDs - I would keep an eye out for big black SUVs with the license plate of WEGETPAID coming down your street.

craftech wrote on 11/19/2003, 10:44 PM

Sign up to read this article by Jay Rose. It's very thorough:

http://www.dv.com/columns/columns_item.jhtml?category=Audio+Solutions&subGenre=&LookupId=/xml/feature/2003/rose0803

John