Hi there, welcome to my “work belongs to you”, blog. I’ve created this blog to get my voice out in the world to share my thoughts on how a specific rule in copyright should change worldwide.
I was in my classical music class, studying the history on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most famous and talented musician and composer that ever existed. One thing I never thought about was the ownership on his music today, or in that case any musician’s music, but really, who would? Mozart has been dead for exactly 259 years and I’ve come to realize, after studying on his history, his music no longer belongs to him… none of it. This blew my mind. I decided to further my research on why this was, why a man of such talent lost the only thing he had in his lifetime. Now, it is not only Mozart that has lost his handwritten compositions.
In my furthered research of why Mozart lost his music, it brought me to copyright law. Looking under Canadian and international copyright, I have found that; depending on which country you have signed your original work to copyright to, your work only belongs to you for 50 - 70 years after your death. Therefore meaning on December 31st of the 50th- 70th year of your death, your original work no longer belongs to you, meaning it is now up for purchase. This aspect unfortunately and obviously covers not only musical work but also, literary, dramatic and artistic work.
I found this so spiteful, it started to drive me crazy. I continued to dwell on the subject, thinking, “who owns so many works of talented people?” Amazing authors and creators like Emily Bronte (author of Wuthering Heights), Jane Austen (Author of Darcy novels), Ludwig van Beethoven (composer), Glen Miller (musician), Vincent van Gogh (artist) none of their incredible and world renowned work belongs to them, it may be in their name, but not in their possession, which is wrong. I think this law is so unfair, I’ve decided to fight against it, and try to have my word put out in the world to maybe seek change. I know my voice is only as quiet as a homeless men asking for change in a busy city, but every problem solver starts small.
This is where I ask my question to you. What if you wrote a song, an amazing song. Every fibre of you was put into this song. A hand written melody, beautiful lyrics that could make someone cry and a story behind every lyric. This song was so well written you decided to get a copyright on it and share it with the world. Now your song has a copyright on it, you decide to share it with your friends online, knowing no one can steal your original work. Finally, the time comes around where it has been exactly 50 years after your death, that song you once loved so much is no longer yours. It now belongs to the copyright cooperation until some one buys it. How would you feel knowing that one day your original work is no longer yours? As a musician myself, I know it would hurt me. I would not stand for it.
At this point, a lot of you reading this may be questioning why I take this so seriously. You might be wondering why am I trying to persuade you, into helping me to seek change on this subject. The history of Mozart is why. Mozart’s unfortunately sad, short life pushed me to fight for change on this copyright law. To my fellow musicians who may be reading this, I hope this story takes a strong poll on you with this copyright law, as it did for me.
Born January 27th 1756, Austria. Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart. At the age of three, Mozart was a musical genius, a child prodigy. Mozart began composing music and was considered a virtuoso on the piano at the age of five. As he grew older, his talents grew and expanded. Later, in his musical career, Mozart continued to tour Europe on his own as a musician and performed and witnessed many musical performances. He soon returned to Austria, seeking great opportunities as the talented musician he knew he was. Most musicians were poor and did not make a lot of money. A handful, would be lucky and talented enough to be invited by a patron who would offer them, shelter, money, food and allow them to perform their own music when a patron wanted entertainment or was to throw a party. In 1773, Mozart was invited by the ruler of Salzburg, Prince Archbishop to live and dine with him. How could Mozart turn such an opportunity down? So, Mozart obliged. Sadly, after four years of staying with Prince Archbishop, Mozart left, due to having an awful relationship with his patron. Mozart knew of his great abilities musically and resented to being treated like a servant. Mozart went on many long leaves to find a patron who would respect his music. Eventually, he asked to be dismissed. After Mozart left, he continued on as a poor musician. He wouldn’t stop making music until some one was to offer him a job. He later fell in and out of love and soon was married and had six children. As his years went on, he wrote over 626 concertos. At the age of 35, Mozart died, a young, poor man and was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave.
I admire Mozart so much, because he fought for what he wanted. He knew how talented he was and would not stand for being treated as a servant. He chose to live his life as a poor man and write incredible pieces where he could have stayed with his patron and been wealthy.
This is the story that pushed me, to lobby for the protection for artists work. Mozart lived an awful life as he grew older and died extremely young. But he did everything he could to be seen by others of how amazing he was. Now, those 626 symphonies, concertos and opera pieces are no longer his. After everything he went through to have his music shown… music was the only thing Mozart really had his whole life. Now, his own music, the music he poured his life and soul into is no longer possessed by him but owned by the copyright board.
It is my highest hope that you have stumbled across this blog. It is also my hope that readers will not only endure everything I just sprawled onto your laptop or mobile screens, but that you have learned something new and quite important about this unfair aspect of copyright law. I would like to see many people join me in this movement to have this law revised and bring recognition and fair rights to ownership within the copyright law. Lets start the change today if we want to see betterment for all artists.
