01 May 00 - 01:20 PM (#220865) Subject: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: GUEST,pbruner@ukans.edu I'm looking for some information on Carol of the Bells. I know that the vocal arrangement and the words are copyrighted, but is the tune public domain? The vocal arrangement I have says 'Carol of the Bells (Ukranian Carol)', music by M. Leontovich (but not copyright). The copyright is on the words and the arrangement, I think... but I need to be sure. Does anyone know? Thanks, Pamela |
01 May 00 - 05:26 PM (#221042) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: DougR Pamela: Try emailing Micahel S. Hart at hart@prairienet.org. I has a similar question about a book I was interested in adapting to a screenplay was was concerned about the copyright. Michael is Professor of Electronic Text, Benedictine University (illinois Benedictine), Carnegie Mellon University Visting Scientist. He is also Ex. Dir. of Project Gutenberg Etext. He was very helpful and may be able to refer you to the right place if he doesn't know the answer. DougR |
25 Oct 00 - 07:42 PM (#327364) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: John in Brisbane Has anyone ever posted the lyrics for the main melody line for Carol of the Bells? I can't find them here, but I have a MIDI of the tune ready to post if someone could oblige with the words. Regards, John |
25 Oct 00 - 07:57 PM (#327374) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: Mary in Kentucky Hi John, I was just working on the same. I also noticed that my printed version has the name Ring, Christmas Bells. I'll PM you some info MMario and I have recently shared.
RING, CHRISTMAS BELLS
CAROL OF THE BELLS |
25 Oct 00 - 10:58 PM (#327493) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: pastorpest I have seen the copyright attributed to Carl Fischer, Inc. in 1936 and then renewed. I cannot answer your question about the music, but I do not know how it could be copyrighted, My understanding is that very early in the Soviet era, 1920 or earlier, secret police had composer M. Leontovich assassinated. |
25 Oct 00 - 11:59 PM (#327532) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: Charlie Baum Another oddity is that we're dealing with a Scviet copyright, and those laws were (a) not in sync with Western rules and (b) not recognized by the West for many years. Soviets copied Western material freely and vice versa. Not sure how much of this has transferred over to the Russian Republic and Ukraine which (along with 13 other countries) have replaced the Soviet Union. Let's just say that the Soviet tradition of samizdat preceeded the sharing of music files via Napster by decades. --Charlie Baum |
26 Oct 00 - 12:07 AM (#327534) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: Charlie Baum From http://lemko.org/lih/music/surma.html comes this information: "The Carol of the Bells," adopted as a Christmas favorite by American audiences, is actually a Ukrainian New Year's carol called "Schedryk." Written by M. Leontovych and performed First in Kiev in 1916, it was popularized after a 1922 tour of Europe and America by the Ukrainian National Chorus. Since that time, over 50 recordings have been made, and it has been performed by countless choruses, chamber and pop ensembles, and symphony orchestras. 1916 is probably early enough to make it public domain. --Charlie Baum |
26 Oct 00 - 12:20 AM (#327538) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: Lyrical Lady My copy of 'Carol of the Bells' ends with... D..I..N..G DONG DING D..O..N..G B...O...H...M ...ll |
26 Oct 00 - 12:35 AM (#327546) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: MichaelAnthony Are you serious, LL? Does that translate to b o m b, by any chance? |
26 Oct 00 - 10:02 AM (#327720) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: MMario the midi from John_in_brisbane has been sent to Alan. |
05 Nov 16 - 05:57 PM (#3818405) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: GUEST The answer is simple. The English language "Christmasied" one everyone knows is copyrighted by virtue of the fact that the words are a rewrite with no bearing on the original. The Ukrainian Spring song original by Leontovych is in the public domain having been written in 1914. |
06 Nov 16 - 01:01 AM (#3818469) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: Joe Offer My go-to Website for information about carols is http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/carol_of_the_bells.htm Here's what they say about this song: CAROL OF THE BELLS Words & Music: Peter J. Wilhousky, 1936, Adapted from "Shchedryk" by Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych, 1916 Hark! How the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say, throw cares away Christmas is here, bringing good cheer, to young and old, meek and the bold, Oh how they pound, raising the sound, o'er hill and dale, telling their tale, Gaily they ring, while people sing songs of good cheer, Christmas is here, Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas, Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas, On on they send, on without end, their joyful tone to every home Dong Ding dong ding, dong Bong Editor's Note: In addition to "Carol of the Bells" (version 2, 1957), and "Ring Christmas Bells", there is at least one other carol based on this tune: "Come, Dance and Sing" (1957, lyrics anonymous). I have been unable to locate a copy. Ron Clancy, author of the Christmas Classics series of Christmas carol books, has now created a number of "The Story Behind The Music" YouTube™ videos recounting the histories of numerous Christmas carols, including this carol. Our choir has worked on this song every Christmas for years, but we've never been able to get it down well enough to satisfy the director. It's a tough one to sing in a 50-voice chorus. |
06 Nov 16 - 08:56 AM (#3818520) Subject: RE: Copyright question: Carol of the Bells From: Jim Martin Garmin used the tune in their UK Christmas car satnav ads with their own words to fit. |