Adagio for Strings : Barber : arr. Koerber : FREE
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Here is that organ arrangement of Barbers Adagio. It is to the note. I use a 16' in the manual for the last page to mirror Barbers arrangement in the string doubling so I don't have to play the octaves. I use an 8' in the pedal since it plays the fifths. All flutes or Principals work well. You could use strings, but hey... go baroque! Works great for lent or a penance service, or a funeral. (Everyone knows this for strings, but Barber did set this to Agnus Dei, if you haven't heard it, look it up!)

    HINT: I use the swell shade just before I play the double stopped pedals to get some dynamics.

    I will try to record this and put it on YouTube or something.

    Chonak was just telling me about rights issues and am not sure I can make this available to the public. Will have to get back to you on this.

    Noel? Do you have any info on this?
  • Mr. Z
    Posts: 159
    Did you pull it, I don't see any link ...
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    The first place I check is www.cpdl.org to see if there are any works there by the composer, and, if the composer is not known for vocal works, then:

    http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Composers

    In this case it is almost certainly under copyright since nothing of his appears in these sources of PD music.

    I arranged all the Durufle motets and the Messiaen O Sacrum for organ, applied to the estates who hold the copyrights and was denied publishing rights. That does not prevent me from playing them, but I cannot sell them.

    [I did the arrangements to learn the inner workings, if I had intended to publish them I would have sought permission in advance]

    I did an arrangement of Gabriel's Oboe, by Morricone, with permission of the copyright holder, but the expense of up front payment they required and quarterly accounting...along with having to give them access to my books at will made me decide to not publish it.

    One way to solve this is to find a server in a country that does not have reciprocal copyright agreements with the US. Place it there.

    [civil disobedience?]

    None of the publishers are going to come after someone for nickels and dimes. Unless they want to make a point, then you become a poster child.

    Also, if YOU do an arrangement of a copyright work, you have no rights to the arrangement copyright. Clarify that craziness! When someone buys the arrangement, the publisher gets a cut and then has to pay the copyright holder of the original, not the arranger under copyright law.

    And recordings: You MAY NOT record anything that is copyright until the copyright holder has permitted someone to record it. Then you have the right to record it, the copyright holder can not stop you, but you have to pay for every copy made.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Somewhere in this house I have an organ arrangement of the Barber, Francis.
    I think it one of the most exquisite expressions of profound suffering and resolve ever put to sound. That's also why I happen to not prefer its permutation as an Agnus Dei, and its exploitation by Oliver Stone and lesser successors.
    All that said, in my youthful naivete I would perform it on Good Friday, not knowing at the time of the prohibition of instruments. Which brings me to: where would you program any non-choral arrangement of it outside of a concert? A Tenebrae, funerals...etc.? Honest question, no agenda.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Works: 1923 through 1963 Published with notice and the copyright was renewed. Duration: 95 years after publication date.

    Original appears to be copyright 1938
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    OK... I am not copyrighting the arrangement, nor am I selling it. Does that still allow me to post it for free? (I did specify Barber as composer, but I did put my name as the arranger)

    Mr. Z.

    I had it there for a half an hour before Chonak alerted me to the fact that I might not be able to post it so I took it down, but I am thinking I am going to put it back. It actually is not posted on this site, it is on my own web server (which, Noel, I think may be in Germany, but I wouldn't do anything illegal anyway, even if it was civil law.) Another way around this is to just pass it to those who would like it through email, yes?
  • Mr. Z
    Posts: 159
    "Does this allow me to distribute for free....."

    Technically, probably not, though this falls under the "small potatoes" category.. I would think any publisher or estate would welcome such an arrangement - especially if well done, and I am sure that yours is - and opportunity to extend the reach of this great work - and - a reasonable split should be available. Why not?

    Yes the PM is the way to do it for now - I would say.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I am contacting Schirmer's to see if they are interested to publish this one. Will let you know what happens. BTW, Mr. Z, you haven't posted your email address.
  • Mr. Z
    Posts: 159
    "Also, if YOU do an arrangement of a copyright work, you have no rights to the arrangement copyright. Clarify that craziness! When someone buys the arrangement, the publisher gets a cut and then has to pay the copyright holder of the original, not the arranger under copyright law.


    Well, certainly an arranger can get paid. He does not get to control the terms, these must be negotiated with the author/assigns. I don't see the egregiousness there.



    And recordings: You MAY NOT record anything that is copyright until the copyright holder has permitted someone to record it. Then you have the right to record it, the copyright holder can not stop you, but you have to pay for every copy made.


    This perhaps should not be stated as though this is such an onerous "onus" in the copyright law. It is really, read correctly, a fairly liberal concept, ala 'if this work has been recorded, with the intent to distribute - ever, by anyone - then there is no need to seek permission to record, just record and pay the standard rate,' ( currently 9.1 cents per song less than 5min. and 1.75 c/min thereafter), IOW, no need to negotiate a rate individually. You are therefore able to profit using another's composition as long as they are fairly compensated as well. Seems fair to me.

    Funny to hear Whitney Houston whine -albeit perhaps jokingly - about people like Dolly Parton "making all the money." ("I Will Always Love You," etc.) Her cousin, Dionne Warwick, seemed to understand that without a Bacharach and David, there would most probably be no Dionne Warwick, ala that singer that can still command big bucks for singing "Alfie," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," "Walk On By," and on and on. I guess Houston might be lamenting that she is not able to hock self penned mediocre songs ala Mariah Carey and thus garner "all the money." For me, choosing between the two, give me the great singer with the great song written by the best songwriter every time. Too bad this country sees fit to actually reward song penners. What egregiousness.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    The arranger can get paid by someone to do the arrangement. But they cannot collect copyright royalties on the arrangement. All copyright royalties go to the composer.

    Francis, G. Schirmer may turn you down because they already have a version....and yours would be competition for it. I experienced that with OXFORD and the Allegri. But that also opens the door to another publisher who may be interested in adding it to their catalog.

    The copyright holder can and many do restrict people from arranging. But it is always worth trying to get permission.

    Francis, I would suggest contacting Evensong http://www.evensongmusic.net/ as a possible publisher. They are doing some great work.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Mr. Z.

    Why?
  • Mr. Z
    Posts: 159
    ???
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Well, at least you can perform it during services without paying fees or asking permission.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    i really like playing this one
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    In England, I believe that churches must pay royalties for singing copyright works...anyone able to verify that?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Wow

    even for a church service?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Yes. Got to be complicated. UPDATE: as of 1982 this is no longer in effect, but I believe it was once the case.

    "In current legislation, a church does not have to be licensed as a place of public entertainment (Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1982). You may put on concerts of literary and musical works in church."
Add a Comment