DO NOT PLAY LIST.

[Michael Boo]

I have heard that Disney music is difficult to get rights to.

Also, Michael, can you see the SCV website?? "Santa Clara Vanguard proudly presents their 1020 season , "BOO".

That wasn't about me. I wasn't even around in 1020.

[Perry S]

That wasn't about me. I wasn't even around in 1020.

LMAO

[Piper]

Chuck is easy to get rights to. For Grenadiers 2000 he sent the corps an autographed picture and a letter giving thanks for playing his material.

Agreed. By all accounts he's pretty Drum Corps friendly.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Piper

[ouooga]

I can't begin to count the amount of music I would never have heard if it weren't for drum corps or marching band. So to me it is hard to understand why so many composers can be so stingy. Yes, fine, they should be payed for their intellectual property, I wouldn't suggest otherwise. But to not allow your music to be played (or arranged) at all, or to charge rediculous fees in order to inhibit someone from affording the rights to it doesn't make any sense to me. I would be flattered if I was in that position. And it is a shame that John Williams is that way, I LOVE John Williams's music and would love to hear more of it on the field.

Took a class in college in IP, and it really opened my eyes to this subject. While some composers are just stingy or "artists" that don't want to see their work performed any other way than there's, the real reason many of the bigger named composers don't allow their work to be used is because if they let even one group use it, IP law states that anyone willing to meet the same terms as the first group should be allowed to do it. If you offer just a blanket statement of "no", you're basically saving yourself a humongous world of hassle.

The best example I've ever seen of this happening is Nintendo. From Nintendo.com...

"While we are grateful for all the requests for permission to use Nintendo properties, we are not able to grant such requests. We receive thousands of requests and we do not have adequate staffing to review them all. Therefore, our general policy is to decline requests for permission for the use of Nintendo properties."

That says it right there. Basically, if one group wanted to use The Legend of Zelda as their show music, Nintendo would have to have a team review the arranged music and probably watch a performance, maintaining the rights to pull out at any time until they've signed off on it. Then, because they let one group do it, they'd have to let everyone do it who was interested, which means thousands of more attorney's and other parties checking over performances of The Legend of Zelda all over the world, making sure no one is defacing the Nintendo image. That is costly, time consuming and I can hardly believe that any performance group could afford the cost of rights necessary to cover that much salary and expenses.

[CasualFan]

Carmina Burana was written in 1937, but Carl Orff died on March 29th, 1982.

I believe that the copyright for individuals, is life of the author plus 70 years,

meaning that this work will be under copyright for many, many years.

Actually the 70 years after death of composer applies to compositions published in 1978 or later. For works that were published prior to 1978 with a copyright notice and renewed, the copyright lasts for 95 years after the date of publication. Of course that is still a long time.

[kickhaltsforlife]

If you want to use John Williams, it is very easy to imitate his writing style... very easy. He's very good at imitating others too.

PS- I still like his music, just because he might borrow things, he works things perfectly. And his stuff is fun to play.

I am a young composer. Personally I want all of my works to be heard as much as possible, but i'm sure as a get older, I will be very restrictive with what I let go. I can see why some composers are very strict. Composers often pour everything they can into their writing nowadays. If they don't do that, then they just take A LOT of time. their life revolves around usually one or two pieces at a time. If I wrote some amazing piece, that I put A LOT of time and effort into, I would probably not want to let it go. Already some of my compositions I tend to have a special place for them. It would kind of like be giving a piece of me away for free.

Do I think composers should be a little less strict...right now in my life, yeah... but then I would be a hypocrite... i'm being a fence sitter.. as I am with politics, lol. It's a touchy subject. And this topic has actually got me thinking about it more.

[raphael18]

I think I remember hearing this as well, that he was at finals in 99. Can any 99 Cadets confirm this?

Alfred Reed came to a Regiment rehearsal in 84 when they were performing "Armenian Dances". After peeling his face off in the horn arc, they took him up to the box and marched it for him, too. My lovely bride, who marched that summer in the Regiment guard, says he was thrilled and shook hands with every single corps member.

Garry in Vegas

I'm almost positive I recall them stating that De Meij was in attendance in 99 on the broadcast.

I think the reason for De Meij's work being difficult to obtain comes from the link provided in the thread: Difficult Songs

The rights to the music written by Johan de Meij, Jan van der Roost, Stephen Melillo and Philip Sparke are now administered by Trilogy Productions. The approval process can take several weeks and the cost is $1,500 - $2,500 if permission is granted.

[Lance]

Johan De Meij

Heard it straight from the horses mouth. He said he lent his music before to a corps, but "never again"

Shame.

I know Black Gold did LOTR at one time.

I usually hate Hans Zimmer, but "Chevaliers De Sangreal" from his Da Vinci Code soundtrack could be awesome if a corps tried it.

[dieselfume]

This may seem like a bit of heresy but is John Williams' music all that extraordinary (in comparison to everything else now heard in drum corps) or does it just have "forbidden fruit" appeal because it is not licensed? If a list of "the best music for drum corps arrangement" was created, where would Williams be on that list? I know, I know; I'm probably a "sour grapes" guy.

.

[raphael18]

To be honest, John Williams really doesn't do anything for me. If anything I liked his stuff back when I was in high school as a vehicle to get into what I would now consider quality work.

If anything, the lasting appeal is that John Williams' music is very recognizable.