Yes, kids, it’s time to explore one of our favorite topics: Balancing the rights of copyright owners with the fact that works of art are inaccessible to those who want them. In today’s episode, we follow a group of classical music lovers who are slowly realizing that the cost-benefit ratio of rereleasing classic performances (pun not intended, but enjoyed nonetheless) is not so hot.
So ephemeral is music that passionate minorities who appreciate it can’t believe their luck when lesser-known pieces survive multiple centuries, or when radio broadcasts by great, deceased or retired performers can still be heard – and enjoyed immensely. Yet making such music available to the public can be legally problematic. These are intellectual properties that belong to somebody else, even if that “somebody” might not know they exist or appreciate their value if they did.
