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Psalm 25 - search for Krista WigerDate: February 20, 2010
I would like to record Psalm 25 (Higher Than the Mountains) by Krista Wiger on a CD at our church. My quest to obtain a mechanical license has been unsuccessful. Does anyone know Krista Wiger or how to obtain permission to use this song?
thanks,
Denise Makinson
Director of Worship & Music Ministries
Southwood Lutheran Church
Lincoln NE
Replies (6): Threaded | Chronological
Tom Tropp on February 20, 2010 8:18am
Denise, who is the publisher? If the piece has been recorded before, the license is compulsory, and it's just a matter of sending the request to the right person. Copyright holders only have the right to restrict the premiere recording of a work; once a recording has been released, anyone can record it (provided they obtain a license and pay the royalty).
Denise Makinson on February 20, 2010 7:22pm
Psalm 25 is included in the "Youth Sing-a-Long Vol. 1" Songbook and CD put out by Youth Encounter http://www.youthencounter.org/Default.aspx?tabid=314 I have been in contact with people at Youth Encounter and they only say it was produced before they worked there and don't have any records. The CD jacket only says that the song is (c) 1995 by Krista Wiger. No one that I have spoken to knows how to contact Krista Wiger. The song doesn't appear on any of the searches I have performed at the normal licensing companies. I would be glad to pay a license fee if only I could find out how. Any help is greatly appeciated!
Thanks!
Denise
on February 21, 2010 3:35pm
Hi, Denise. Your research to this point seems to make the situation fairly clear.
Point 1: You have identified the publisher. What is the copyright claim in that publication? If it is claimed by Youth Encounter then you deal with the publisher and not the composer/arranger. That would be the case even if Krista were your next-door neighbor!
Point 2: You have attempted to contact the composer/arranger. Be able to document your attempts, to show good faith. If the mysterious Krista is not registered as a member of ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC, and cannot be tracked down, you have done everything you can. Go ahead and make your recording. Of course go through the Harry Fox Agency, and provide them with all the information you have, but when a composer/arranger chooses to hide she cannot realistically expect people to make extraordinary efforts to track her down. AND, if the copyright is in the name of Youth Encounter, AND it has already been recorded once, you don't need Krista'a permission in the first place.
Point 3: By posting here on ChoralNet, you have already established both your intent to follow the law and your desire to contact Krista. This should also be part of the "paper trail" showing your good intentions.
All the best,
John
on February 21, 2010 10:35am
I agree with where John arrived, but an important step was skipped in his chain. The US Copyright Office provides a licensing service for just this situation. When all else fails, one is supposed to send the request and licensing fee to them, and they forward it on to the registered copyright holder. Problem with their system is that they are not set up for limited quantity licensing like Harry Fox is, but rather through the compulsory licensing route. As a result, the process calls for the licensee to keep reporting subsequent pressings (or the lack thereof).
That said, I've done a quick search of the copyright records and still can't find the woman. As John suggested, I'd say make your CDs; you tried. Keep in mind also that, for your 100 or so CDs (I presume), we're talking about nine dollars...!
on February 22, 2010 12:48pm
Denise,
Through a little web searching, I think I found a bit more info. The song in question appears also be referred to as "To You, O Lord"--I found it listed as "Psalm 25 (To You, O Lord) Krista Wiger" in the contemporary song list at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Westborough, MA. I then found the following listing as a song suggestion in a Bible study:
To You, O Lord by Krista Wiger
1995 Vision Music Ministry That produced some potentially useful info, as I found an address and phone number for "Vision Music Ministry" in a document at the CCLI website:
Vision Music Ministry
c/o Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp RR 2 Box 115 Milford, IA 51351 Phone: 712-337-3306 Fax: 712-337-3501 Armed with that, I visited the camp ministry's website, found a staff member who has been there a long time, and dropped him an email, along with a CC to you.
I also found information a single (out of print) "Krista Wiger" CD from 1996, titled "Osgood-Schlatter" (http://www.cylist.com/List/404691806/krista-wiger-osgood-schlatter.html). There's a copy of it available on eBay. The odd thing is that "Osgood-Schlatter" is the name of a medical condition affecting young people. It's possible that Krista Wiger may have since married and if she's still involved in music, might be going by another name--but that's just a guess.
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