You are correct, though, in that the copyright law makes no provision for exclusivity of use except through contract (and that would be contract law, not copyright law) so it would only be another potential deterrent through moral grounds, along the lines of the MPA's "Don't photocopy this music -- photocopying deprives composers and publishers of income." Or whatever that message says. It carries no legal weight, but it does make the moral issue more exposed. Only the copyright law carries any legal weight in such situations.
John Howell wrote:
ns suggested:"Copyright 1725 by J.S. Bach For the exclusive use of the choir of the Elector or Saxony"or "Copyright 1770, by W. A. Mozart For the exclusive private use of Empress Maria Theresa". As I see it, if the Empress Josephine heard of it, and wanted her own copy, it wiill take just a moment or two to call up the file, change "Maria Theresa" to Josephine, and provide Josephine, whether by e-mailed ~.pdf, or snail mailed original, her very own copy. Also, by this method, it would be immediately obvious when the choirmaster from Saxony moved on to Prussia, took copies with him, and reproduced them.I'm certainly no lawyer, but that sounds like whistling in the dark. There is no provision in the copyright law (u.s.) for any such announcement of exclusivity, so no way to enforce it. Of course if you entered into a binding legal contract that says the same thing, then the notice would be valid. Anybody know how the Contemprary Christian publishers that license various uses of their music handle the problem? John John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
-- David H. Bailey [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
