Who owns the copyright on a live performance of a composed piece?
Question by arothman.com: Who owns the copyright on a live performance of a composed piece?
I’m working on a website for a composer and question of copyright has come up.
Let’s say I have a recording of the local college’s chamber orchestra performing a piece of my music in a concert. Whose permission (if any) do I need if I want to post a free MP3 of that recording in whole or in part for download on my website?
My inkling is that I’d have to clear it with the organization that put on the concert because they own the ‘mechanical rights’ to the recording, and I may need to get permission from my publisher if I have published my composition, but do I need permission from the musicians themselves or the recordist who made the disc too?
I’m just not sure how the rights work out when you’re talking about re-distributing a recording that wasn’t ever intended for commercial release and is a performance of a piece you created. In most cases there’s no contract in place to answer these questions, particularly with a recording that’s not recent.
Best answer:
Answer by Barbara M
Hmmm…if it was your music, isn’t it already copyrighted by you? I didn’t think performances could be copyrighted. I know the can be restrictions on redording a performance, i.e., bootlegging. But it bought a performance redording, and the music is yours to begin with, I don’t see why you have any restrictions on posting it anywhere. I am anxious to see others’ answers.
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