Page:Copyright, Its History And Its Law (1912).djvu/231

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL
199

in the phraseology of article X of the convention of 1886, "amongst the illicit reproductions to which the present convention applies, when they are only the reproduction of a particulcir work, in the same form, or in another form, with non-essential alterations, or abridgments, so made as not to confer the character of a new original work"; and practically the same language is repeated in article 12 of the convention of 1908. On the other hand, "adaptations, arrangements of music," etc., are protected as original works without prejudice to the rights of the author of the original work, in article 2 of the convention of 1908.

The German law of 1901 permits, however, extract from or other use of musical compositions in adaptations or arrangement under specified circumstances, as for family, social or other gratuitous performance, under the limitations of the law, which exception seems to be permitted also under the law of 1910.

National
formalities
Throughout the countries of the International Copyright Union, first publication in any of these countries and compliance with its formalities entitle the author to playright as well as copyright in all the other countries within the Union, with some exceptions to be noted. Thus in Switzerland the conditions of performance must be given at the head of the printed play; and the law stipulates that the author may not require as royalty more than two per cent of the gross profits, and a performance at which the admission fee is reckoned to cover only cost of production or a performance for charitable purposes, is not considered an infringement of playright. In Italy a play performed, but not printed and published, must be submitted in manuscript for inspection within three months of first performance, together with a declaration reserving the playright; a printed book or play should be deposited with accompanying