IMSLP Forums

I know that music by composers who died prior to 1955 is in the Public Domain in Australia if it was also published before that year. I want to upload a piece published earlier than 1955 by a composer who went missing in 1944 and was presumed dead. Glenn Miller left on a plane to fly over the Englis...

If a piece of music is "attributed" to a composer who is in the public domain in Australia as they they died before 1955, can we freely use their work?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated

Herbert Stothart wrote the background music for the famous musical film, "The Wizard of Oz". If this music appeared in the film in 1939 is it likely that it was published then? Are films legally published the year they are released? As Stothart died in 1949 isn't it possible that his music...

The melody to the song "Green Hills of Tyrol" was composed by Rossini and taken from the opera William Tell. In 1854 a Pipe Major named John Macleod arranged this melody for his Pipe Band during the Crimean War from 1853-1856. Assuming that John Macleod died before 1955, wouldn't this melo...

If themes or movements are taken by publishers from orchestral works that are in the public domain can they legally be protected by copyright if they haven't been arranged?

Many different publishers have removed Schubert's Overture Rosamunde

Is most traditional music in the public domain if it hasn't be arranged significantly?

I want to upload the English Folk Song "The Ploughman" as well as the popular Welsh folk piece "The Ash Grove"

If the same piece of public domain music has two different titles and sets of words and only one version of the lyrics is in the public domain can the music be used with the title alone of the non public domain lyrics?

If a piece of music is by an anonymous composer does this mean it's in the public domain? As composers usually own the copyright to their works aren't their pieces in the public domain if no one knows who they are?

What should I look for when determining the copyright status of an anonymous piece?

The children's song "Wheels on the Bus" is available for free download (in lyrics & chords PDF version) from several websites that are targeted at young kids. One website states that the piece is traditional, by an unknown composer and that its copyright is unknown. If the piece is tra...

If the Hill sisters who originally composed Happy Birthday died prior to 1955, shouldn't Happy Birthday be in the Public Domain in Australia? Copyright is automatic in Australia and I believe the Copyright for this song was registered by RR Forman and Preston Ware in America in 1935 and later extend...

In order to work out when the publication of Frank Churchill's music from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was established by law, how do films confirm the publication of their music legally?

I assume Disney would have constituted the music from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Can music that was used in the 1937 Disney film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" be in the public domain in Australia if the music was initially published prior to 1955 and the composer Frank Churchill died before that year?

Can music by a public domain composer be used if the lyrics, which hold a copyright, are removed?

I want reassurance that Robert Leroy Johnston's "Sweet Home Chicago" and Hank William's "Your Cheatin' Heart" are in the Public Domain in Australia, both of these composers died before 1955.

I really want to find out if music by Frank Churchill and Glen Miller without lyrics is in the Public Domain in Australia. If their works were published before 1955 shouldn't they be in the Public Domain? Frank Churchill and Glen Miller both died young before 1955