outland144k

Beagle
ok - here's an example.  I'll Fly Away was written in 1929 and published in 1932.  even if you use the published date, it's over 70 years old.  but if you search in the pdinfo.com site, you'll see it's not there.  a cursory search on harryfox.com will show that it is indeed still under copyright by Warner-Tamerlane publishing co.  
 
I don't know how this happens, but there are still songs which are more than 70 years old in the US which still are under copyright protection and not admitted to the PD.

 
Beagle, it's 70 years after the death of the author, not 70 years after the song was written. While he wrote the song in 1929, Albert Brumley died in 1977, hence the copyright is still active. 

DOH!  you're right!  
 
 
bad dog!!! bad dog!!!  :D

outland144k
Beagle, it's 70 years after the death of the author, not 70 years after the song was written. While he wrote the song in 1929, Albert Brumley died in 1977, hence the copyright is still active. 

The one case I'm familiar with conflicts with the notion that it's based upon the death of the author.  All of Pucinni's operas except the last one are now in public domain.  This was as of maybe eight years ago, so perhaps they now all are.  This is in the US, by the way.  But if a late work is not PD and earlier works are, then that would strongly suggest the author's death is not the sole determining factor.
 
 
Edit: It just occurred to me that the final opera was never completed by Pucinni.  A student of his (or something like that) finished the final few of minutes.  That might explain why that one opera still held copyright.  The guy who finished, who counts as one of the composers, probably died quite a bit later.

dmbaer

outland144k
Beagle, it's 70 years after the death of the author, not 70 years after the song was written. While he wrote the song in 1929, Albert Brumley died in 1977, hence the copyright is still active. 

The one case I'm familiar with conflicts with the notion that it's based upon the death of the author.  All of Pucinni's operas except the last one are now in public domain.  This was as of maybe eight years ago, so perhaps they now all are.  This is in the US, by the way.  But if a late work is not PD and earlier works are, then that would strongly suggest the author's death is not the sole determining factor.
 
 
Edit: It just occurred to me that the final opera was never completed by Pucinni.  A student of his (or something like that) finished the final few of minutes.  That might explain why that one opera still held copyright.  The guy who finished, who counts as one of the composers, probably died quite a bit later.

 
Franco Alfano, who finished Puccini's last opera Turandot, died October 27, 1954 (Wikipedia). This means that Puccini's last opera will not be in the Public Domain until 2024.
 
Bingo, DM.

dmbaer

outland144k
Beagle, it's 70 years after the death of the author, not 70 years after the song was written. While he wrote the song in 1929, Albert Brumley died in 1977, hence the copyright is still active. 

The one case I'm familiar with conflicts with the notion that it's based upon the death of the author.  All of Pucinni's operas except the last one are now in public domain.  This was as of maybe eight years ago, so perhaps they now all are.  This is in the US, by the way.  But if a late work is not PD and earlier works are, then that would strongly suggest the author's death is not the sole determining factor.
 
 
Edit: It just occurred to me that the final opera was never completed by Pucinni.  A student of his (or something like that) finished the final few of minutes.  That might explain why that one opera still held copyright.  The guy who finished, who counts as one of the composers, probably died quite a bit later.

Was it puccini's 10th?  

eph221

dmbaer

outland144k
Beagle, it's 70 years after the death of the author, not 70 years after the song was written. While he wrote the song in 1929, Albert Brumley died in 1977, hence the copyright is still active. 

The one case I'm familiar with conflicts with the notion that it's based upon the death of the author.  All of Pucinni's operas except the last one are now in public domain.  This was as of maybe eight years ago, so perhaps they now all are.  This is in the US, by the way.  But if a late work is not PD and earlier works are, then that would strongly suggest the author's death is not the sole determining factor.
 
 
Edit: It just occurred to me that the final opera was never completed by Pucinni.  A student of his (or something like that) finished the final few of minutes.  That might explain why that one opera still held copyright.  The guy who finished, who counts as one of the composers, probably died quite a bit later.

Was it puccini's 10th?  

 According to The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, Puccini wrote twelve operas. Turandot was the last.

I take meds for decaphobia

Thanks for the replies, As far as I can tell they are public domain. It probably won't be much of an issue anyway as I doubt the track will reach much of an audience but if it turns out really well I thought about selling it for donations to the RNLI (UK lifeboat charity).

Glyn Barnes
Thanks for the replies, As far as I can tell they are public domain. It probably won't be much of an issue anyway as I doubt the track will reach much of an audience but if it turns out really well I thought about selling it for donations to the RNLI (UK lifeboat charity).

That's cool. I hope it turns out well.
I'm sure that your great-great-grandfather would have been very touched.

eph221
I take meds for decaphobia

You can certainly rest easier tonight. Let's just hope that your condition doesn't spread into dodecaphobia.

Or icosahedrophobia.