Page:Copyright, Its History And Its Law (1912).djvu/201

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DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL
169

to obtain the fullest protection under the law, should enter such work in class (d) as a dramaticomusical composition rather than in class (e) as a musical composition, and thus safeguard himself against the mechanical music proviso applied exclusively to class (e).

Right of
dramatiza-
tion
In regard to dramatization, the new American code is specific (sec. I, b) in giving to the author of an original work the exclusive right "to dramatize it if it be a non-dramatic work" or "to convert it into a novel or other non-dramatic work if it be a drama." The relations of a maker of a dramatic version of a literary work or of a literary version of a dramatic work, would follow the same rule as in the case of a translator. An author has the exclusive right to dramatize or permit the dramatization of his work, and the dramatization may be copyrighted in the name of the original author or of the dramatizer, but the dramatizer cannot prevent another dramatization of the same work unless by transfer of exclusive right from the original author.

Dramatiza-
tion term
The specific copyright on a published dramatization dates from the publication of the dramatization, which may extend the protection of the dramatization beyond the copyright term of the original work. But on the expiration of the copyright in the original work rival dramatizations can no longer be prevented. All this holds true as to the novelization of a drama.

Musical ar-
rangements
In respect to music, the language of the law (sec. I, e) is thoroughly comprehensive in covering the arrangement or setting of a musical composition or of a melody in any notation or in any form whatever. This gives to the musical author entire control over the use of any part of his work, as for instance the transcription from an orchestral work for piano use, the instrumentation of a vocal work or the use for a