Thursday, October 18, 2007

Copyright term is far too long

A recent Choralist post:
I am desperately searching for someone who owns and can rent out the orchestra parts for Laud to the Nativity. We are a community choir who is undertaking the challenge of this wonderful work, but have been unable to find the orchestra parts from anyone but the publisher, Boosey and Hawkes who wants $1600 for 3 concerts.
If it were out of copyright, you could buy the parts for less than $100. I know why publishers and big moviemakers and record companies like long copyright terms, because it helps them milk the most out of their catalogs. But the purpose of copyright is to serve the public interest, "To promote the progress of science and useful arts" as the U.S. Constitution puts it. Do you really think anyone is encouraged in their musical creativity by knowing that Respighi's work is still protected? Or "Happy Birthday to You", still earning big bucks for Warner Bros. every time it's sung in a movie or something?

Copyrights were intended to be "for a limited time", but nowadays they're essentially unlimited. This does not serve society well.

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