# Who holds the copyrights of Prokofiev?



## nikolas (Mar 10, 2013)

I'm particularly interested in his Ballet "Romeo and Juliet". Who knows who holds the rights, please, or how to find out?

Thanks


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## jamwerks (Mar 10, 2013)

I think it's the so-called Anglo-Soviet Music Press. His scores are still soooo expensive.


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## Gerald (Mar 10, 2013)

I think you can contact the SACEM : http://www.sacem.fr/eptic/index.do?charte=createurs


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## Daryl (Mar 10, 2013)

Mostly Boosey and Hawkes. However, in certain territories it is out of Copyright. A EU country is unfortunately not one of those territories though. :wink: 

D


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## kenm (Mar 10, 2013)

According to imslp.org Romeo and Juliet was reprinted by Edwin F. Kalmus, n.d.(after 1989). Cat A 6743.


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## Daryl (Mar 10, 2013)

kenm @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> According to imslp.org Romeo and Juliet was reprinted by Edwin F. Kalmus, n.d.(after 1989). Cat A 6743.


HAHAHAHAHA. I think you need to understand something about Kalmus. However, I'm not sure that I should share my stories here.

In any case there are two things to consider:

1) The US used to have a 50 year copyright rule which has now been extended to 70 years. There is also the question of the war years add-on.

2) There is a difference in the length of Copyright between the actual music and the printed material. There have been cases where people have bought the orchestral material from a 3rd party publisher, in order to try to circumvent the Boosey and Hawkes hire fees, only to find that they couldn't get permission to perform the work unless they paid the hire fees anyway.

D


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## RiffWraith (Mar 10, 2013)

Daryl @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> 1) The US used to have a 50 year copyright rule which has now been extended to 70 years.



Just to be clear, it's 70 years after the composer passes away.



Daryl @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> 2) There is a difference in the length of Copyright between the actual music and the printed material.



How so? If the printed material sufaces at the same time the composition does, isnt it still life + 70 years?


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## nikolas (Mar 10, 2013)

Print copyright is different than the 'actual copyright'... Just saying here...

SACEM deals with royalties, not copyrights, right? :S

But Boosey and Hawkes... I'm trying to get them to get me an appointment in Frankfurt for various reasons, including this (if this is the case).

EDIT: And yes those Russian composers (Kabalevsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, etc) have extended copyright by 4 years for being in the war and composing then...


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## Daryl (Mar 10, 2013)

RiffWraith @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> If the printed material sufaces at the same time the composition does, isnt it still life + 70 years?


No.

D


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## nikolas (Mar 10, 2013)

Quick extra note on scores: If you grab an "urtext" score of beethoven, which IS without any editing, then the score IS out of copyright.

However, if you grab a Beethoven score that has editorial suggestions, editing, research, etc, then the research/edit themselves are copyrighted and thus the score in question.

So... should I chase after boosey & Hawkes or Anglo-Soviet? Don't want to make a fool of myself...


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## RiffWraith (Mar 10, 2013)

Daryl @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> RiffWraith @ Sun Mar 10 said:
> 
> 
> > If the printed material sufaces at the same time the composition does, isnt it still life + 70 years?
> ...



Well, thanks for that, Captain Info! :lol:

So, what is it?


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## Daryl (Mar 10, 2013)

I don't know who administers the rights in Greece, but it might be worth contacting B&H to ask them. Obviously double check everything they tell you though. :wink: 

D


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## bryla (Mar 10, 2013)

Mechanical rights are never dependent on the authors death.


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## nikolas (Mar 10, 2013)

Daryl, I'm talking about the copyrights. I need a license for Romeo and Juliet to (say for example) publish the work, or work on a transcript for piano, or other... Not the rights/license to perform.


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## Daryl (Mar 10, 2013)

nikolas @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> Daryl, I'm talking about the copyrights. I need a license for Romeo and Juliet to (say for example) publish the work, or work on a transcript for piano, or other... Not the rights/license to perform.


Same advice. You need to find out who administers the rights in Greece. I know that it's B & H in the UK, because I had to negotiate with them to be allowed do a reduced orchestration of Cinderella.

D


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## passenger57 (Mar 10, 2013)

James Horner


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## nikolas (Mar 10, 2013)

Daryl @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> nikolas @ Sun Mar 10 said:
> 
> 
> > Daryl, I'm talking about the copyrights. I need a license for Romeo and Juliet to (say for example) publish the work, or work on a transcript for piano, or other... Not the rights/license to perform.
> ...


Yes, but if I am to *publish* a score globally, I doubt the right holders in Greece would work in this case... no?

Thanks btw!


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## studioj (Mar 10, 2013)

passenger57 @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> James Horner



haha!


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## Daryl (Mar 10, 2013)

nikolas @ Sun Mar 10 said:


> Daryl @ Sun Mar 10 said:
> 
> 
> > nikolas @ Sun Mar 10 said:
> ...


If the Publishing is shared throughout the globe, in order to get a Worldwide Publishing deal, you would have to talk to them all. What normally happens is that your local territory's rights holder gives permission for the arrangement, and then negotiates on your behalf with the other rights holders. Am I allowed to ask what your intention is? Maybe PM, or email, if it is Top Secret.

D


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## Peter Alexander (Mar 10, 2013)

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-duration.html


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## nikolas (Mar 10, 2013)

Daryl: email sent!

Peter: thanks. Not sure if the duration of copyrights is valid here, since Prokofiev died in 1953, and with the additional years for WW2 copyrights end in 2027-8 I believe... (Even if it was 2023 it's still ten years away...).


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## Daryl (Mar 11, 2013)

nikolas @ Mon Mar 11 said:


> Daryl: email sent!
> 
> Peter: thanks. Not sure if the duration of copyrights is valid here, since Prokofiev died in 1953, and with the additional years for WW2 copyrights end in 2027-8 I believe... (Even if it was 2023 it's still ten years away...).


No, a lot of what happens in the US is not global. For example we have no "work for hire" in the UK, and we also pay Royalties in movie theatres. ;>)

D


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