USE A POEM AND MAKE A CHOIR ARRANGEMENT

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USE A POEM AND MAKE A CHOIR ARRANGEMENT

Date: January 21, 2013

by Christian Mark Mariano

Views: 1201

What are the rules in making an arrangement from a poem which was copyrighted? and rules in arranging a song using a poem as lyrics and the poet was already dead?

Replies (5): Threaded | Chronological

Lee G. Barrow on January 21, 2013 8:20pm

If the poem is under copyright, you need permission from the copyright holder. Whether the poet is dead or alive has no bearing on copyright; it depends on when the poem was created or first published. With very few exceptions, if created or first published after 1/1/1923, it is under copyright.

John Kennedy on January 22, 2013 7:09am

Have a read of Eric Whitacre's experiences writing music to someone else's poetry: http://ericwhitacre.com/music-catalog/satb-choral/sleep

Simon Loveless on January 25, 2013 8:00am

I know of an even worse experience, where a living poet gave permission, then withdrew permission after hearing the music.

The composer wrote her own replacement text in which she outlined the whole cautionary tale (without naming names) - "I must destroy the space whale" became "I must replace the space tale"

http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Space_Tale_(Alexandra_Uitdenbogerd)

Sharon McKinley on January 22, 2013 11:30am

I suspect I've posted on this subject before, but it's worth mentioning again. I am NOT an expert and there's the standard "don't take this as law!" disclaimer attached...

I've found the best info at Cornell:

http://copyright.cornell.edu/

The US Copyright Office page:

http://www.copyright.gov/

Copyright is very, very squirrelly. Please remember that the 1923 rule applies only to works 1st registered in the US (or shortly thereafter.) read this post: http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/sep12/Hirtle--When-Is-1923-Going-to-Arrive-and-Other-Complications-of-the-U.S.-Public-Domain.shtml . foreign works are generally covered by their own laws.

As for sound recordings, it's even more complicated. 'Nuff said!

I read Eric Whitacre's article on his copyright woes, as John recommended. Beware! Find someone very, very dead, like a couple of centuries ago, write your own or make friends with a poet. Now THERE'S a way to go. Find a living poet who'd like to work with you. Everyone wins!

Kentaro (Ken-P) Sato on January 25, 2013 12:07pm

If the work is copyrighted, get a permission to use it as a lyrics from the copyright holder. The copyholder maybe the poet him/herself, or his/her successor or the publisher.