[HANASHIR:14344] Re: more free sheet music online at totshabbat.com

[ehavanashira.org <adrian...>]

Chaverim:

I would like to chime in with Eric on this matter. It is simply
inappropriate to scan published music and post that scanned image online,
even if the work is in the public domain. It's OK to do so if you yourself
have written out the music (however--see the caveat below), or obtained the
permission of the publisher.

Those who accept such postings ought to be willing to require those who
submit them to certify that they are original in origin and not simply
copied (or plagiarized-because simply sitting at your computer with Finale
and note for note copying some printed music is plagiarism, plain and
simple), or that the poster have written permission from the publisher to
post.

The reality is that simply asking the person submitting the file to certify
they have the right to do so may not protect the person running the website
if it turns out the submitter was less than upfront. This is one reason why
I have avoided using the extant Hava Nashira web site as a repository for
sound files or scanned sheet music files. As reported earlier, I am working
with Robin Selinger, Dan Hoffer and others to expand the scope of the Hava
Nashira site. These issues of copyright, fairness, permissions, plagiarism,
etc. all need to be dealt with before we can seriously consider that.

Synagogues are among the worst offenders when it comes to copyright
violations (does your Cantor purchase a copy of every piece of music for
every member of the choir, or do they make photocopies?) 

We need a Jewish Music Clearinghouse!! I've pushed this matter before, and
I'm going to get on my soapbox and raise the idea yet again. Our Xtian
friends do have such a clearinghouse.

B'vracha,

Adrian


Adrian A. Durlester, M.T.S.  - adrian (at) durlester(dot)com
http://www.durlester.com/
Director of Education, Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Alexandria, VA
education(dot)director (at) bethelhebrew(dot)org
Co-Director, JTAI Hazamir Teen Choir of Greater DC
Director of Education and Congregational Life, Bethesda Jewish Congregation
(eff 7/1/03)
Past Conference Chair, CAJE 27
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
adrian (at) ehavanashira(dot)org




> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org] On Behalf Of Eric Komar
> Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 10:43 AM
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:14332] Re: more free sheet music online at 
> totshabbat.com
> 
> 
> Friends,
> 
> While I applaud my good friend Robin Selinger's efforts
> leading to the success of totshabbat.com, I must express my 
> objection to the posting of some of the free sheet music. 
> Many of the songs are already available in Transcontinental's 
> "Complete Shireinu". What's worse, certain songs seen to be 
> taken right out of CS: the articulations, tempo markings, and 
> most of the chords are exactly identical.
> 
> Just because these songs are free of (c) restrictions,
> doesn't mean the arrangements are. By posting this music, you 
> are taking money away from Transcontinental, whose staff 
> works extremely hard providing Jewish music for people like 
> us. Those who own CS know it is worth every penny it cost 
> them. I would think that better use would be made of 
> totshabbat.com by providing sheet music that is *not* 
> available elsewhere.
> 
> Perhaps I'm taking this issue more personally because these
> songs I spent literally 14 months straight typesetting for 
> Transcontinental. All the same, regardless of any legalities, 
> I consider lifting songs out of CS and posting them for free 
> unfair and highly unethical.
> 
> - Eric
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> --------------
> ----
> E r i c   K o m a r
> Jewish Music Specialist - Songleader - Composer/Arranger -
> Music Typesetting/Transcription - Guitar Lessons 718.344.0440 
> - www.KomarMusic.com
> 
> ------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> -----------------------+