ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXSuggestions please for inexpensive classical music rights clearance for indie low-budget feature
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Hi,
Any suggestions or leads please for inexpensive classical music rights clearance for an indie low-budget feature? I worked with various classical music pieces as temp tracks to edit too. I would love to find out how much usage clearance of some of the pieces would cost (in all standard global film distribution formats). I'm not wishing to create a soundtrack album, so all other rights than use on the film would not be required. I am fully aware that Music Supervisor would be the person to approach and speak to but as our film was almost completely self-funded and made over four years unfortunately there is little money to pay for one, other than a film credit and our personal indebtedness. Please DM me if you have any ideas.
Please note that I already have a composer friend on board, so as to save any time wasting, I, therefore, am not requesting any other composers' to get in contact with me please.
Many thanks
Ray Brady
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2 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran
A lot of top quality classical music performed by superb orchestras was released into the public domain by the Soviet Union before they became signatories of any International copyright agreements.
Can't remember the exact dates but not later than the 1970's. I used to look for old vinyl records from the Soviet state orchestras. Many are still in good condition and produced during the peak of vinyl Hi Fi.
The use of such music has been challenged on both sides of the Atlantic. A case in the USA which had gone through layers of case Law eventually upheld that those recordings were not copyright protected.
Free and without obstructions is better than any other offers, especially at the qualitative levels available.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Many thanks John, tried to acquire some before when you kindly made the suggestion on SP before, sadly was unable to find. If you have or know someone who does please let me know.
Many thanks for the heads-up though. As always very greatly appreciated.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran
Charity and junk shops can be fruitful. I have got a couple somewhere on the premises, but since Covid, the production technology revolution and fully front loaded free distribution business model emerged, our studio and archive is in temporary dissary. The legal piracies of corporate norms, much to establishment and its followers chagrin, can now be exercised by nearly anyone. Copyright issues are one of the few realities that remain actually real. It's worth making a deeper search. Maybe try Googling Moscow State Orchestra LP's for sale. The dates of public domain release and the story of the judicial outcomes can be found on or referenced from a well cited Wikipedia page I found those few years ago. There's other Soviet period orchestral releases knocking about too. They were very good at producing that stuff. All the great composers. A treasure trove for film makers.
Well worth the exploration.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Hi John, I have managed to source some now, you were right indeed, I just needed to search a bit harder. I will now do the research re Wikipedia. Also, always a good day when "chagrin" is used in common parlance.
Once again, many many thanks.
Kind regards
Ray
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Many thanks John, tried to acquire some before when you kindly made the suggestion on SP before, sadly was unable to find. If you have or know someone who does please let me know.
Many thanks for the heads-up though. As always very greatly appreciated.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Richard Anthony Dunford
Hi Ray
We got a classical (Tchaikovsky) Piece from audiojungle.net
I think the full clearance was around the £140 mark if memory serves
Best Wishes
Richard
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Richard Anthony Dunford SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Hi Richard, great suggestion.
Many thanks for the lead. Greatly appreciated.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Marlom Tander
You are usually dealing with people with a duty towards their clients, they can't usually grant for free, even if they want to. But see John Lubran re the Soviet stuff.
If you're heavy on Britten though, some years ago the Pears Britten Foundation gave free permission for me to use one of Britten's less well known works for a charity. They are seeking to raise awareness of his music so while I think you should offer something, maybe affordable.
However if you need the mood of the music, a lot of excellent but unknown artists on Soundcloud etc are open to granting releases for credits.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Marlom Tander SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Hi Marlom, I adore Britten's work, especially his choral pieces. I've a piece in mind with a haunting round in it. I will contact them and try my luck. Many thanks for the lead, again very greatly appreciated.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Chris Cardell
Hi Ray,
A number of royalty-free music libraries such as ours, MusicRevolution.com, carry many public domain classical tracks based on public domain compositions from musicians such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Grieg, Chopin and so on at fairly inexpensive prices for film and other usage. Here is a link to some excellent classical tracks-- https://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-tracks/musician/ClassicalMusicTracks
Regards,
Chris Cardell
MusicRevolution.com
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Chris Cardell SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Hi Chris, could be exactly what I was looking for. I will check them out asap. Many thanks for taking the time to answer, also greatly appreciated.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ian Allardyce
Holst - The Plannets is cleared in a lot of libraries.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ian Allardyce SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady
Anybody seen 'The Rite of Spring' by Stravinsky on any website, please?
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Kim Halliday
I am genuinely interested in why you wouldn't want to commission or licence new music in these circumstances? Speaking for myself, I have loads of back catalogue that could be licensed cheap or free - I mean, I'm not comparing myself to Britten or Stravinsky (or in fact anyone else) but I'm pretty sure there are lots of composers on here rolling their eyes and wondering why you wouldn't use music written specifically for your visuals, rather than searching 400 years worth of "classical" music. I'm absolutely not challenging your creative decisions - every project has different forces on it, I know that - but I am really interested in why you've chosen this path?
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Kim Halliday SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran
It's something of rhetorical question?
As you wrote, every project has different forces on it.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran SHOW
2 years, 11 months ago - Kim Halliday
It was a specific question about this specific project, thanks.
Response from 2 years, 11 months ago - Kim Halliday SHOW