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Provider of Free Public Domain Music Shuts Down

Posted by Zonk on from the why-do-people-hate-the-word-free-so-much dept.

Mark Rogers writes "The International Music Score Library Project has provided access to copies of many musical scores that are in the public domain. It has just been shut down due to a cease-and-desist letter sent to the site operator by a European Union music publisher (Universal Edition). A majority of the scores recently available at IMSLP were in the public domain worldwide. Other scores were not in the public domain in the United States or the EU (where copyright extends for 70 years after the composer's death), but were legal in Canada (where the site is hosted) and many other countries. The site's maintainers clearly labeled the copyright status of such scores and warned users to follow their respective country's copyright law. Apparently this wasn't enough for Universal Edition, who found it necessary to protect the interests of their (long-dead) composers and shut down a site that has proved useful to many students, professors, and other musicians worldwide."

6 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. I feel better about this decision... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Once I'm dead.

  2. It can go both ways by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Sooner or later someone will match portions of copyrighted scores to older public domain scores and void their copyright status.

  3. Re:Doing it wrong by Cecil · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm going outside now to watch the Orionids. Good thing you can't copyright an experience.
    ... Yet.

    --
    Random and weird software I've written.
  4. Re:morally right, legally wrong by camperdave · · Score: 4, Funny

    I saw a political sticker with a skull and crossbones, with the line "Voting is not the only answer" under it. While that's a little extreme...

    True. There must be a better way of changing the law than poisoning politicians.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  5. Re:Doing it wrong by jd · · Score: 3, Funny
    I'm going outside now to watch the Orionids. Good thing you can't copyright an experience.

    Dear Quokkapox,

    Your experience of the Orionids is clearly derived in part from one of the movies either produced, being produced, or considered for being produced in light of this experience, and is thus infringing on our copyrights somehow. We insist that you cease and desist in your observations immediately and buy a stackload of crappy and expensive movies instead.

    Yours insincerely,

    The MPAA Division of Inquisitors, a CIA Interrogator Production

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  6. Fixed .... by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 3, Funny

    "course the free stuff that she gets just for showing up at awards ceremonies in bras and panties."

    There, fixed it for you ....

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.