Of Canada and copyrights
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    If I go to Canada and print a bunch of Poulenc (all public domain there), then bring my legally-printed Poulenc copies back to the U.S., what is the status of those copies and my rights to their ownership and use?

    And, what will happen to Willan’s music for those of us in the U.S. in a few years when it goes public domain in Canada—that is, to the music that Cantius doesn’t control? Examples: “Fair in Face”, “Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts”, Tenebrae Responsaries (sic!).
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Gotta say it: "Of Cabbages and Kings."
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    It's just so much better up here.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    It's just so much better up here.


    My sentiments, exactly. Every time I go to Canada I think 'this is what the United States ought to have been like'. Meaning, things are so relatively calm, there isn't that crass madness that seems to permeate 'American' culture. The highways are not littered with bill-boards (and the speed limit is 120). You have the house of parliament (an elegant Gothic pile which is ever so much more beautiful than that top-heavy monstrosity of a faux-classical capitol that we have). The weather and seasons are real. And 'south of the border' means Maine and Vermont! I have, though, gathered that, generally, the populace are much more liberal than I would be at home with. The French of Quebec, whose French is all but unintelligible to Frenchmen, behave, ne'ertheless, as haughtily as real French people, and, though they are a relative minority, act as though they owned the whole country.

    But, whatever its faults, I love being in Canada. I've been all over the east, but never west of Ontario. High points of my visits include conventions of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (who seem to be more civilised than their colleagues of the AGO). Then, it's really wonderful being in churches (Anglican, of course) whose altars are graced with riddle curtains and such. I never anywhere heard such boistrous hymn-singing as I did at some Protestant sect as part of a week with the RCCO. Nice, too, was afternoon tea at the Governor-General's residence in Charlottesville, PEI.

    Yes, it is 'just so much better up here' - but then, things are always different after one scratches below the surface, aren't they? Odd thing: everywhere you go, humans are human.
    Thanked by 2canadash CHGiffen
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    I would assume the penalties for smuggling contraband across the border would be at least as severe as for downloading in the US, if not more so. But if you're serious about finding a loophole, ask a real internet lawyer.
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    @canadash: Enh, you guys still have Howells under copyright for a long time—even the early works (Rhapsodies, first 3 Psalm-Preludes, “A Spotless Rose”) which are PD in the U.S.

    @Richard Mix: The question precisely is, though, whether it’s “smuggling”. I suspect that your interpretation is correct, but it would be good to be sure; I thought I’d see if anyone here knew! (Interesting question besides, IMO.)
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    See eg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_import

    In the case describes by the OP, it would be legal to import the legal copies, in my very very lay opinion.
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    It's just so much better up here.



    Yes, it is 'just so much better up here' - but then, things are always different after one scratches below the surface, aren't they? Odd thing: everywhere you go, humans are human.


    'Tis true MJO.

    "Smuggling" Poulenc across the border. I can't even imagine that this would be a problem (I know you weren't thinking of the act of smuggling it.) I have a feeling there isn't a border guard who would have any inkling of a problem.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,980

    Yes, it is 'just so much better up here' - but then, things are always different after one scratches below the surface, aren't they? Odd thing: everywhere you go, humans are human.



    Yes they are, but the bears, blizzards, and freezing cold are not better. Beautiful place but I couldn't handle the winters.
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,394
    I couldn't handle the winters.

    Nor can many Canadians. That's why there are so many Canadian snowbirds in Florida.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    Yes, it is 'just so much better up here'


    If they ever dragged me, kicking and screaming, back and forced me back into the borders of that country I would spend the rest of my days trying to claw my way back to the United States.
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen Adam Wood Jeffrey Quick eft94530
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    Can you elaborate, MJM? I grew up in the very northernmost reaches of the continental USA--only been to Canada briefly a few times--and I would love to know what your experience has been like. Why would you claw and scratch to get back to these USA?

    Edit: Please forgive the digression from topic.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Matthew's from Windsor and just happily became a U.S. citizen (welcome aboard, Matthew!)

    Now, back to the TOPIC:

    Here is an article about a 2013 Supreme Court case that may be relevant:
    http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/03/19/174757355/supreme-court-oks-discounted-resale-of-gray-market-goods

    In this decision, the Court ruled that if you buy a copyrighted work outside the U.S., you are free to bring it in with you and do whatever you like with it. The case dealt with a student who had his friends in Asia buy college textbooks at low prices so that he could sell them here in the States, where the same text is much more expensive. He won.

    So it sounds as though it would be fine to buy a low-priced edition of Poulenc in Canada [if anyone is making them] and bring it here. (I won't speculate about printing it yourself.)
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,315
    What if you were to download it only? Could you then copy it here? Interesting area to ask questions of a copyright law expert.
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700

    If they ever dragged me, kicking and screaming, back and forced me back into the borders of that country I would spend the rest of my days trying to claw my way back to the United States.


    Because EVERYTHING important is better here... There's a thousand secular reasons, but the state of the Catholic Church in the United States is 1000x better than Canada and the state of sacred music is 100,000x better.
    Thanked by 1irishtenor
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