posted
I'm trying to track down 1920's style music appropriate for my partner's Chicago-themed 30th birthday Party.
I'd imagine that there would be a significant amount of legal out-of-copyright music from that era floating around online, so if anyone has any resources there, that'd be great.
But I'm really looking for a bit of advice, since I'd like to try to blend that era's music with some more contemporary sounding beats to keep the party jumping! If there's any great music that you know of that's "in the key of" 1920's but has been modernised, or even great dance tracks of that era, I'd love to know.
Thanks for your help!
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I recommend Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Rogers and Hart songs. 1920 is the cut-off date for public domain, I think (others might know better). Are you looking for recordings? Cause there aren't going to be that many good recordings from that era. However, many, many, many famous and talented singers have done a lot with the songs of those eras, so you shouldn't have too hard a time tracking them down. Anything that includes the "American Songbook" in the title is a pretty safe bet. Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
1923 is the cut-off for public domain. Try the Yazoo label for awesome re-masters of original cylinder recordings from that era. I've never bought anything from them that wasn't great.
(There's a sidebar by genre there; check out "early jazz and pop".)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Note that recordings made by people who died after 1954 are still covered by copyright, ditto arrangements of the work. If you want a recording, anything recorded by someone who died in or before 1954 is okay, and if you want a piece to play, likely easiest just to find the original arrangement. It doesn't matter when your copy was printed, that copyright would only apply to reproduction of the physical form.
Oh, and Australia has moral rights, so be sure to mention somewhere who the creator of each work is, and (not that you wouldn't) treat the work in a non-derogatory fashion.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Heh, or even less music by some people. The following are off limits: anything with Ira Gershwin (George died early enough, though, so that's likely your best bet), Cole Porter, Rogers (but Hart's okay).
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Hard to find anything with George and without Ira... (at least in terms of the songbook...I guess he could go with the instrumentals, but I don't think those really represent a twenties feel, per se.)
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
And besides, if he's looking for recordings, his best bet is just to get a relatively inexpensive collection-type CD, IMHO.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Most likely that won't serve him as far as steering clear of copyright laws, given the age problem. (edit to make clear: owning a cd doesn't give you permission to play it in public, which is the permission he initially seemed to be looking for)
quote:Therefore on one hand, performances of music at events such as weddings or twenty-first birthday celebrations, will not generally be “in public” even if they occur in a hotel, wedding hall or restaurant, as because these events are considered private, not public.
And private performances do not require a license from the copyright holder in australia.
So he can play whatever he wants, provided this is not a work function in addition to being a birthday party.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Hmm. I thought you could play it in public, as long as you weren't charging for it, and you legally owned the copy. I must've fallen asleep during the copyright portion of music bibliography class. (not to mention every other portion of music bibliography class...)
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Oh, and a modification: performances made in or before 1954 are actually okay, apparently they don't depend on the performer's lifetime in Australia.
edit: and of course, the music needs to be otherwise free of copyright.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
In a sense you can play it in public, but also not (in a sense).
The key words are public performance. If it constitutes a public performance, its likely an infringement. Now, what constitutes a public performance varies between the US and Australia. Australia is laxer.
In neither place would someone walking down the street with a boombox playing for naught but their own enjoyment be making a public performance (most likely, I doubt anyone's bothered bringing that to court to check).
In neither place could a business put on some music for their customers (despite neither charging for it and owning the copy legally) without obtaining a license for a public performance.
The major differences appear to be wrt larger public gatherings, such as major birthday parties and the like. I am very skeptical with regards to the courts in the US permitting a birthday gathering, in a hotel, with a few hundred people to use music absent licensing. That appears to be perfectly fine in Australia.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
It seems to me that that would really complicate the job of someone who does DJing for weddings, etc. How much of a role does legality play there (or is it actually illegal and just not enforced)?
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
I'm not sure what the details are on wedding DJ licensing. On performances in a commercial venue, its the venue owner that needs to obtain the licenses (handily available for a broad library of music from central organizations in both the the US and Australia).
My guess would be that most common wedding reception locations retain licenses which would cover DJs, just to be on the safe side.
However, it may be necessary for either the DJ or the people putting on the wedding to obtain said licensing. Might be a good thing to ask ASCAP/BMI about.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
The 1923 comes because some things that are from people who died before 1953 can still be under copyright (renewed by families or a corporation.) Public Domain MusicPosts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I know that now, fugu. But when I posted 1923, I was clarifying Megan's 1920. Also, Australian law allows for things that are still under copyright in their home country to be protected; some songs written in, say, 1920 are still under copyright.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Interesting, I see no references to such except those to works copyrighted by commonwealth governments (not under, by) in sites talking about Australian copyright.
*checks law*
There are some references to import, and countries which didn't have copyright when the recording was made might have some special cases, but provided the copy was made in Australia, Australian copyright law appears to apply: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca1968133/s10aa.html
posted
Oh, and I was just confused because you had already clarified the 1923 thing right after Megan stated it, so it sounded like you were responding to me when you stated it again.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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(at least in terms of the songbook...I guess he could go with the instrumentals, but I don't think those really represent a twenties feel, per se.)
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