Geert's Ave Maria pages - Copyright Notice


alt : Play midi Alary - Ave Maria
Now playing: Ave Maria by G. Alary (1877)

Copyright Notice and Disclaimer for "Geert's Ave Maria Pages" and AveWiki.

By using or accessing any part of this collection of Webpages, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept this statement. 
  • This document is subject to change without notice.
  • The collection of HTML pages and images found on this site are copyright © 1995-2013 by Geert Cuypers.
    The MIDI and NWC files in this website are not in the public domain!
    Even if the original compositions (melody and/or lyrics) are public domain, our arrangements and midi sequences of those compositions are not.

  • The majority of the information and documentation on this website was found through Internet research.
    Those songs and compositions themselves are therefore assumed to be in the public domain unless otherwise stated.

  • We either have received permission to post all compositions that are still under copyright, or "fair usage" applies to the posting of these files in their current presentation format. "Samples" (partial recordings or partial depictions of scores) are a common practice on the Internet and are considered "fair usage" in the format as used in this website.

  • While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information in these pages is accurate, these files may contain defects. Among other things, these defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, or computer codes that cannot be read by your equipment /platform/ setup. The owner of these pages cannot and does not accept any responsibility for any losses related to the use or attempted use of this information. These pages and files are provided to you "as-is"; no warranties of any kind, express or implied, are made to you.

  • Please be aware that copyrights for commercial duplication and/or public performance of the works of contemporary composers might be reserved, either by the composer or the publisher. 
    In the USA such copyrights would generally be in effect for all works first published in the USA after 1922.
    Copyright laws may differ in your country. 
    It is your responsibility to know the copyright laws in your country and to comply with those laws.
     
  • Songs that are under copyright protection may not be reproduced or performed without permission of the copyright owner.
    I will not provide copies of copyrighted materials, unless the copyright owner has given me express permission to do so.
    Scores and recordings of compositions that are still under copyright are available for purchase through numerous external links throughout this website. Even if there is no such link, it remains your responsibility to find a source where you can legally purchase the score or recording.

  • The fact that you might be able to download some sheet music for free on this or any other website does not release you from the copyright regulations in your country. It remains your obligation to register works that are under copyright in your country with your country's copyright collecting society BEFORE you perform this music in public. When you download a title, or request and receive a score from us by email, you do state expressly your agreement in this matter.

  • My arrangements of songs that are not currently under copyright in the USA and in your own country may be downloaded and reproduced under the terms of the creative commons license for personal practice and student recitals without need to contact us for our specific permission, provided the following credit is included in each printed copy:
    Arrangement + edition copyright © Geert Cuypers
    www.avemariasongs.org - All Rights Reserved

  • Such songs may be used privately but may not be republished for profit. The use of files or information posted on this website for publication for personal gain or commercial purposes is strictly prohibited.

  • The files posted on this website are made available for personal reference and educational purpose only. This listing of  composers is the published result of an ongoing Web-search. Any files or references found on the Internet are in public domain or "fair usage" applies to their inclusion in this website for this informational, educational, and archival purposes.

  • The purpose of the MIDI files for the composer's pages is to
    • correctly identify the piece and
    • give the visitor an idea of what this piece sounds like.

  • The MIDI and NWC sound files in this website are not equal to and are in no way intended to replace the scores or live recordings of the works they represent. 
    • It is my experience that different soundcards and drivers interpret performance markings differently.
    • For that reason, I remove all performance markings from the score.
    • The resulting sound file will play pretty much with the same tempo and volume throughout.
    • That may not be as the composer had intended, but fits the purpose of this website to ID the piece.
    This way, the MIDI file by itself is insufficient for for voice practice and performance. The original printed score is necessary. The use of such "adapted" MIDI files for such educational documentation purpose does not violate copyright laws. (= "fair use")
  • The listing on this website of composers of Ave Maria setting and the corresponding presentation pages of their works represents over 10 years of research effort and should not be used or referenced without written permission for any other purpose than personal study.

Copyright or not?

You may find one of these icons on some of the work pages.
This refers to my personal guess at the USA copyright status of the 1st edition printed score of that song.
I could be wrong.
Don't take my word for it. It remains your responsibility to comply with the copyright laws in your country.
  This score is copyrightedThis score is copyrighted
   This score is public domainThis score is not copyrighted  = public domain

I do not hold myself out as an expert in copyright law. Please do not rely upon my interpretation.
If you have copyright questions or problems, please consult a qualified attorney.

For more information about Copyright law, the U.S. government maintains a copyright site, which I recommend.
Also, you might want to read the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Elred v. Ashcroft (537 US ___, 2003), which affirms the validity of the 1998 amendment to US Copyright law and which contains the Court's history and understanding of US copyright law.  A copy of this decision is available at the Supreme Court website. Note that this law brings US law into conformance with the European Union term adopted in 1993.

A simple explanation is that the 1998 law extends copyright protection to 70 years following the death of a known creator for works created on or after January 1, 1978. 
For anonymous works, pseudonymous works, and works made for hire, the protection is from creation to 95 years following publication, or 120 years from creation, which ever expires first.
For works published between 1923 and 1977, the period will often be 67 years (there are exceptions). For a good summary, see the page Copyright Term and Public Domain in the United States.
 
  • There are many copyrighted songs included in this presentation.
  • If you are the copyright holder of a song and you feel that I have included something that exceeds "fair usage", please email me with your objections. If you want that material removed from this website. I'll remove it as quickly as I can.
    Offending documentation will be replaced with a link to the author's or publisher's website (if any). 

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works
You are free:
  • to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work for personal use
Under the following conditions:
  • Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).
  • Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
  • No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.
With the understanding that:
  • Waiver — Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.
  • Public Domain — Where the work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
  • Other Rights — In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license:
    • Your fair dealing or fair use rights, or other applicable copyright exceptions and limitations;
    • The author's moral rights;
    • Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used, such as publicity or privacy rights.
  • Notice — For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this or the Creative Commons License web page.
To say all of the above in simple English: You can use it to pray or play, but not for pay.

Page last modified: August 02, 2013