400-9
408
Musical derivative works. (cont'd)
408.01
Musical arrangements. (cont'd)
408.01(b)
Instrumentation. Music may also be arranged by distributing or redistributing harmonic elements among different instruments.
Examples:
1)
An orchestration of Debussy's "Reverie," a work originally composed for piano.
2)
A marching band arrangement of Beethoven's String Quartet in G major, Opus 18, No.2.
Transpositions are not copyrightable.See section 404.03 above. Therefore, the Copyright Office will not make multiple registrations for the same work in different keys.
Example:
Madame Evanti's Solfege Songs" is submitted in a different key each for High, Medium, and Low voice. The applicant may select the version to be registered, but only one registration may be made.
Moreover, the notation of a musical work necessary to enable transposing instruments to play in the same key is not copyrightable.
Example:
The transposition of the standard four-part setting of the hymn "Abide with Me" for E-flat, A-flat, and B-flat saxophones and C clarinet, assigning a different part to each instrument, is not registrable.
[1984]
