At 10:57 PM -0400 9/3/05, Raymond Horton wrote:
David W. Fenton wrote:
The quality of some Kalmus editions is quite
high, because until the last decade or so, they
were all reprints of someone else's edition,
most public domain, but sometimes including
foreign editions that are arguably still
copyrighted. ...
That is actually not surprising at all. Because
U.S. copyright law was based on date of first
publication, and most European law was based on
the lifetime of the composer, a great many works
were in copyright in Europe but in the public
domain in the U.S. Not a grey area at all, just
a matter of geography.
And their new series of piano-vocal scores of
Bach Cantatas is superbly done, beautiful
illustration of good modern engraving, with
updated and very fine English translations.
Don't know whether they offer newly engraved
orchestral parts, though.
The old, traditional Kalmus editions are looked
on as one of those problems that orchestral
players have to deal with.
The only parts they dislike more are the old
french parts with the backward quarter rests for
eighth rests and other difficulties.
Actually it's backward eight rests for quarter
rests. We ran into that with the Saint-Saëns A
Minor Cello Concerto last spring. And in point
of fact, the French rests are more true to the
original Franconian rests from the 13th century
(which is still no excuse!!).
My guess it that Kalmus probably reprinted a
Soviet edition, because for years Soviet
copyrights were not respected in the West...
... which, as I understand it, was because the
Soviet Union did not recognize or respect the
copyright protection of other countries.
Actually I don't think there were such things as
Soviet copyrights, since nothing belonged to
individuals but to "the people" (but were, of
course, administered by party members
representing "the people"!).
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
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