FAQ: what do the copyright-review codes mean?

[Lyle Neff]

Hello,

When one clicks on the links for the copyright-review codes for a given file, would it be possible to see an explanation of what the codes are (in general), rather than just the information that says this:

The action you have requested is limited to users in the group copyrightreview.

I ask this, because, with some of my recent uploads, I see V*/V*/V* (these are on Soviet editions), most have V/V/V, and the newest one is C/V/C (for Chapters 1 and 2 of Rimsky-Korsakov's Principles of Orchestration, even though chapters 3 and 4 are coded as V/V/V).

If these codes are explained elsewhere, it would be helpful to have a clear link to those codes on the above-mentioned "action-requested" page.

Thanks.

[Peter]

Point taken. I'll post it here before putting it on a page:

The format is Canada status / US status / EU status

V = verified
C = checked: very high probability for PD but missing hard evidence
U = unreviewed
N = copyrighted
N! = copyrighted but permission given
red numeral = copyrighted, year of entry in PD (which automatically releases file for access in that year)
* = with consideration of scientific edition ("Urtext") clausules, or no significant editorial additions identified (applied only if not in PD by "normal" law).
N/N/N = copyrighted, but review pending


So for example, the Principles of Orchestration is C for canada because the translator's year of death is unknown, but unlikely to be later than 1957. (The VVV was one of my mistakes, spotted by carolus).

So users aiming for copyright reviewership can bear this information in mind. This also means that any edit that allows a C to be converted to a V is highly appreciated.

[Lyle Neff]

Thanks for the list, Peter. What does the division into three codes mean (e.g., C/V/C)?

As for Edward Agate (translator for the Principles of Orchestration), I tried to find death-date info for him on the web. Grove Music Online didn't have anything except to mention that he (together with Beecham) revised the libretto of Delius Koanga for the vocal score of 1935. I've seen his name on libretto and song translations printed in the 1920s and '30s.

I'm wondering, since the Dover reprint of Rimsky's Principles of Orchestration is available for sale in Canada (e.g., Amazon.ca), how does that affect consideration of public domain on IMSLP?

[Peter]

Thanks for the list, Peter. What does the division into three codes mean (e.g., C/V/C)?

ca/us/eu

[Carolus]

The lack of dates for the translator Edward Agate, who was apparently a brother of the writer James Agate (1877-1947), is the reason that the book is tagged C/V/C. Edward Agate was still alive in 1947, because I found an article mentioning that he made recordings privately of BBC broadcasts of Mahler symphonies as performed by Adrian Boult. The fact that the Dover reprint is for sale in Canada is one of the reasons we tagged it C in the leftmost slot. The C in the right-most slot will probably change to something in red once we find out the year of his death.

I've sent an e-mail to the archive where this collection of recordings is held (in London) to ask if they happen to know what Edward's dates are. The three sections are for the three general classes of copyright term. The first one is for Canada and other 50pma countries, the middle one is for the USA, with its uniquely labyrinthine copyright law, and the last one is for the EU and other 70pma territories. There are of course a few odd cases with different copyright terms (like India's life-plus-60 and Mexico's life-plus-100), but this scheme cover the vast majority of copyright worldwide.

[Lyle Neff]

[...] I've sent an e-mail to the archive where this collection of recordings is held (in London) to ask if they happen to know what Edward's [Agate's] dates are. [...]

Carolus, did you happen to get any response yet, even one such as "we're still investigating"?

[Carolus]

I did get a reply - at long last. Not even they know what his dates are! Edward Agate - mystery man.

[pml]

Carolus,

I think you meant:
Austin Powers (delete, delete)

Edward Agate: International Man of Mystery

PML

[lehmanesque]

EDWARD AGATE THE BROTHER OF JAMES THE RENOWNED THEATRE CRITIC DIED IN 1941.THIS IS RECORDED IN THE JAMES HARDING BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES AGATE.PUBLISHED BY METHUEN IN 1986.WHICH THEN PLACES THE CLAIM THAT EDWARD RECORDED THE MAHLER SYMPHONY NO3 AMONG OTHER WORKS FROM BBC BROADCASTS INTO DOUBT AS THEY WERE NOT BROADCAST UNTIL 1947 .
LEHMANESQUE

[reinhold]

WHICH THEN PLACES THE CLAIM THAT EDWARD RECORDED THE MAHLER SYMPHONY NO3 AMONG OTHER WORKS FROM BBC BROADCASTS INTO DOUBT AS THEY WERE NOT BROADCAST UNTIL 1947.

See http://www.testament.co.uk/media/notes/SBT1422note.pdf for an article about the findings that Eward really recorded the broadcast off air...

Cheers,
Reinhold

[naturlaut]

Any updates on birth/death years of Edward Agate? Information about him on the 'net is scant. I can't even find another source that confirms his death year as 1941.
I do have a score of his three Interludes for piano that is copyrighted in 1950 by May Grantham, "executrix of the late Edward Agate".

[Davydov]

I asked a friend of mine who knows about these things to look into it. He found that Edward Agate was born in 1880 at Pendleton (near Manchester), and died at York on 18 October 1940, aged 60.

So it looks like Agate's translations will remain in copyright in the EU until 1 January 2011 — not too long to go!