| Name | Johann Sebastian Bach |
| Born | Eisenach, Thuringia [Germany] March 21, 1685 |
| Died | Leipzig Germany, July 28, 1750 |
| Works |
PM045 Cantata No 142 Christmas Oratorio PM214 Six Brandenburg Concertos [1721] PM503 Concerto in Dm for Violin and Oboe |
While Bach has been dead some 250 years, making his works PD in Berne countries, his publishers have taken advantage of a loophole in the USA copyright laws that used to offer protection from the date of publication. The publishers now claim that certain previously "unpublished" works have been held as original manuscripts in secret vaults in the family estate. The publishing company sent in editors (Mary Widor, Albert Sweitzer, et al) to examine these and prepare new editions which while based on "authentic" documents, were actually creating new (copyrightable) arrangements. The copyright office does not investigate the claims of publishers that apply for copyright registration.
The actual historical facts are that the Bach family held Johann Sebastian in no great regard, and remaining original manuscrips ended up as butcher wrap after his death in Leipzig. Karl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christan were the stars of the family Bach and received much contemporary aclaim. An independent organization, Bach Geschellshaft did the collection and publishing of authenticated Bach works from 1850 to 1900.
As the USA conforms to Berne conventions, the "unpublished" loophole will be finally eliminated effective December 31, 2002. At that time, all unpublished works of Bach (or anyone else that died before 1932) will absolutely be public domain.
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see Milton Cross' Encyclopedia of the Great Composers and their Music, copr 1953.