June 30, 200718 yr What exactly do you want to know. Threre isn't much of a question in your post... Generally: From the birth of the "idea", or the "score", or the "music", or the "recording", or the "publishing", everything is copyrighted by default. Meaning that in most countries (USA, Canada, Europe at least) you do not have to register anything, anymore to get it copyrighted. And there doesn't need to be the © sign to provide that information. Public domain, means that there is no copyright. That NO person, or organisation, or company holds the copyrights. In the case of music there are 3 kinds of copyrights actually, not 1. 1. The music copyright. This melody is mine and no one can copy it, or use it. 2. The publishers copyright. This score is mine (the companies, the publishers) and no one can use it without having bought it, and no one can copy it, or reproduce it in any way or media... 3. This recording is mine (performance thus). No one can copy it. No one can use it without my permission, noone can sample it (drum loops sample, or bass, or a voice, or whatever), etc... Public domain has none of these. Note: Copyrights expire 70-75 (depends on the country) after the death of the composer, or the publishing of the book, or the recording of the... track. So if you run accross a book which was published in 1910 you can actually photocopy it, or copy it, or do whatever you want. Newer versions as well. If the newer version DOES NOT add anything to the original text, then the copyright is no renewed actually. Same with a recording. Recordings taken prior 1930something are usable in any way. Newer ones no. Same with music. I can play any Beethoven sonata, record it, copy it, use it in my own music. I can't do the same for music by Ligetti (for example). Hope it clears up some things... Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, so all of the above are there to give you an idea. It could be that some parts are incorrect. EDIT: Noticing who you are, I would suspect that you know all of the above, so the initial question I posted stands: What exactly do you need about public domain performances?
July 1, 200718 yr Author Thank you very much for your very usefully explanations, I ask about public domain because here in Lebanon we don't have for classical music copyright and public domain understanding. Have nice week end.
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