[78-L] Question about re-releasing commercial European 78 rpm recordings

[Julian]

Dear Joel 
Having released three similar CDs in the UK over the years perhaps I give you my experiences. 
Yes, the processing work you do on the RAW files will give you copyright protection. Yes, you probably will be ripped and put on a Russian or Ukrainian download site. There is nothing that you can do that will have any practical effect to prevent that or get any recompense.
A small run is probably ok since sales of this type of CD are not very buoyant anymore.
Feel free to contact me off list for some further thoughts
Best wishes
Julian Futter 




> On 19 Nov 2014, at 16:23, Joel Bresler <joel.br at verizon.net.invalid> wrote:
> 
> 
> (Posted to the IASA, ARSC and 78s mailing lists)
> 
> 
> 
> Dear colleagues:
> 
> 
> 
> I am negotiating with a European archive for the rights to re-release a few
> dozen European ethnic music recordings held in their collection that were
> originally commercially released over 90 years ago. There are literally no
> other copies of most of these recordings anywhere in the world so we have no
> alternative source. They are proposing to let us make a small run of CDs and
> to stream the recordings for just a year, at which point our rights would
> lapse. 
> 
> 
> 
> I would like to tap the wisdom of this list for answers to a couple of
> questions. 
> 
> 
> 
> These recordings are all Public Domain. Isn't there the very real
> possibility that my group would pay for the transfers and restoration, as
> well as a payment to this archive, but others could then just rip a CD and
> mount the files online with impunity? 
> 
> 
> 
> If we process the raw digital files to clean up noise, hiss, crackles, etc.
> can our restoration be copywritten? Does that offer a measure of protection?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your comments or suggestions would be very welcome.  
> 
> 
> 
> Best,
> 
> 
> 
> Joel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Joel Bresler
> 
> 250 E. Emerson Road
> 
> Lexington, MA 02420
> 
> United States
> 
> 
> 
> 1-781-862-4104 (Telephone & FAX)
> 
> www.joelbresler.org
> 
> joel.br at verizon.net
> 
> IN CASE OF VERIZON EMAIL PROBLEMS, PLEASE USE MY BACK-UP EMAIL:
> 
> joelbresler-at-gmail.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l