NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/alt/fan/shostako/401

Text File | 1992-11-18 | 2.8 KB | 54 lines

Newsgroups: alt.fan.shostakovich
Path: sparky!uunet!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!ai-lab!mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu!bobs
From: [e-mail] (Bob Sutton)
Subject: Re: Shostakovich sampler
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail]
Organization: /etc/organization
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 09:10:06 GMT
Lines: 42

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Rob Dobson) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bob Sutton) writes:
>>Since this is the second time (as far as I can remember) someone has asked
>>for an introduction to Shostakovich, I think it might be a good idea to
>>create a sampler tape for this newsgroup.  Everyone can contribute
>>his or her favorite symphony or concerto movement, short piece, etc.
>>and see if one 90 minute cassette can be put together.  I think we can
>>excape copyright problems because I am proposing only building a tape
>>of excerpts.
>
>I hate to play the anal-retentive Music Librarian here, BUT such a tape
>would still be a flagrant copyright violation. To comply w/ copyright
>law, a tape must be :1) composed only of excerpts,  AND 2) be covered
>by the "Fair Use" provision of copyright law. Making a tape of an
>excperpt to accompany a presentation on Russian Music, for example,
>would be fine; making a sampler or anthology without paying royalties
>is NOT fine. Its a substitute for purchasing the music, and therefore
>no go.

Well, probably the best thing to do to skirt around this problem is to
only use excerpts.  We might be able to get away with a complete short
movement.  However, the idea is not make a substitute for someone buying
CDs and tapes, rather to whet the appetite of someone who is interested
in Shostakovich but doesn't know much about the vast diversity of
format and styles he used over his carer.  In short, the idea is to get
the prospective listener interested in the music of DS and thus entice
him to buy CDs and tapes.

STill, the record companies being the capitalists they are and the
Federal government and it's Gestapo mentality when it comes to copyright
infringement is a bit frightening.  Well, according to my interpretation,
a "sampler" of "excerpts" to accompany our "discussions" on the "merits
of the music of Shostakovich" can be construed as "fair use".  The
purpose of the tape is to "demonstrate" the value of Shostakovich to
get the person receiving the tape to go out and buy CDs and tapes.
Sound good?

--
Bob Sutton                        Love, most bitterly and fiercely oppresses
[e-mail]          those who fight it than those who offer
[e-mail]       their servitude.    -- Ovid (Amores)
[e-mail]