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RE: Re[2]: Copyright Etiquette & Public Domain



Do you remember the fuss about ASCAP threatening the Girl Scouts for not
paying royalties on the music they sing at camp?  Bad publicity nationwide
convinced ASCAP to settle out of court.

The Torah says, "Though shall not steal".  It doesn't give any exceptions for
shuls.  But maybe in the Talmud you can find an exception.

Marvin Margoshes

> From: richard_wolpoe (at) ibi(dot)com
> Sender:       owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> Reply-to:     jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> To:   jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org (World music from a Jewish slant.)
> 
> Dear Judy,
>         thank you so much for this wealth of information.
> 
> Of course I realize that US Copyright law is not Jewish Specific.  What I 
> was unsure of is regarding adaptations for various uses, many of them 
> nonprofit such as a shul.
> 
> Here is an example:
> My synagogue runs a Chanukah party.  We perform "Bei Mir bis du Schoen"  We 
> charge $20 a person for food and entertainment.  Do we now pay ASCAP?  What 
> about taking the song, making copies for our "singers".  Is this illegal? 
> I'm not talking about copying it for resale just for reuse)? 
> 
> Or are there any implications if I adapt a copyrighted tune into the 
> liturgy?
> 
> etc. etc.
> 
> Regards,
> Rich Wolpoe
> 
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
________________________________
> _
> Subject: Re: Copyright Etiquette & Public Domain 
> Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org> at Tcpgate
> Date:    6/10/98 12:50 PM
> 
> 
> Richard:
> Jewish music or any other music that is published and copyrighted would be
> protected in the same way in the United States. To my knowledge, there is
> no distinction made in the law on music that happens to be Jewish. To find
> out what is appropriate and proper procedures, you may wish to turn to some
> organizations that are concerned with these issues and have done a lot of
> groundwork in this area. They may inform you directly or lead you to
> persons who are knowledgable in this field. 
> 
> Check out the site at the Music Publisher's Association website at :
> http://www.mpa.org/
> and click on the "copyright resource center". It has loads of information
> about researching copyright. 
> It also links to another is the copyright website: http://www.benedict.com/ 
> 
> You may also wish to check ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors
> and publishers). Their website is: http://www.ascap.com/. Their phone in NY
> is 212-595-3050 (according to one book)
> 
> These sites include links that lead you to actual documents about US
> copyright and also to information specifically geared to music copyright
> issues.
> 
> Franklin Pierce Law Center also has some websites about Intellectual
> Property for non-lawyers... at http://www.fplc.edu/tfield/order.htm
> 
> And of course there is always the government:
> U.S. Copyright Office. To obtain frequently requested circular and
> announcements and get first hand info, try
> http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/
> 
> If you are serious about copyright, and everyone should be, then know the
> facts.
> It takes time, but it's worth it to be "kosher" about copyright. Judy.
> 
> At 10:09 AM 6/10/98 -0400, you wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 


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