Should classical music be in the public domain?

Question

I mean the old stuff that's older than 80 years or whatever, where the original composer is long dead. Surely it's a part of their country's culture and should be free to all. Granted you might have to pay for a tape or CD that contains it, but it should also be available as mp3 on the internet, what do you think?

I'm actually looking for Dance Macabre, I've never seen it on vynil at car boot sales and everywhere I find it on the internet is for money, I would like it but not have to subscribe to some music download site with my credit card or pay through the nose for some collector's edition LP.

Answer 1

Classical music by the great composers of the past IS in the public domain, it's the contemporary productions of those great works that is under some form of copyright law.

Some tunes by songwriters and composers of the past eighty to 100 years are still covered by copyright because the composers' heirs have kept the copyrights updated. This is perfectly legal and legitimate.

In response to your additional details. Many fairly recent works of music are NOT YET available for download. This has to do with the publishers and other licensing entities and their LAYWYERS!
Perhaps the publishers do not consider the hoops they'd have to jump through to get the music on line and downloadable for a fee is worth the hassle.

I've tried finding downloads of pop music classics from the past 40 years, and those artists are just not "out there". I had to buy an entire CD for just one song!

Answer 2

Classical music in mp3 format always seems to sound awful compared with the physical formats. As the others have stated, 70 years is the standard length of time for anything to become public domain, unless the families renew it (most pre 1950 records of any type of music are now also public domain).

Answer 3

The reason you are paying for the CD is because someone had to PAY to record the music, do the printing of the disc, the marketing and distribution, etc.

THe music itself IS public domain, which means anyone can record or play the song without paying a copyright fee.

But you can't take someones recording of the song and use that for any puurpose, that would be stealing their copyrighted material. The song itself is 'free' but that persons arrangement and recording are not.

Answer 4

Classical on vinyl and CD sounds fantastic. But vinyls are more fun to use.
Though I did find it nicer to have the complete Barber of Seville, with conductor Vittorio Gui, on CD, which also included a small book, with the entire script in English and Italian.

There's too much reliance on mp3, and other weightless formats of similarly inferior quality. Can't beat a hard copy.

Answer 5

The current laws state that any composer/artist who has been dead for 50 years, their works become public domain, unless someone purchases the rights for them. So, as far as I know, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Wagner, etc. are all public domain. In a few years the old-school rock 'n' roll (Ritchie Valens, Elvis, etc.) should become public domain, unless someone owns the rights for their music.

Answer 6

Classical music is in the publc domain as much as old nursery rhymes are. The good thing about it is that you get to use the lyrics in your own songs if you write them. But, mp3 and audio streams do require a downloading fee.

Answer 7

any piece of music who's composer has been dead for 70 years or more is public domain. You can record the piece and sell the recording without owing anyone any money, if you want to.