Contributing an unpublished, uncopyrighted score by a recently deceased composer

[A. St. Pierre]

I have transcribed a brief choral work by a composer who died in 1987 without publishing or copyrighting his work. In fact, his manuscript is lost and I have transcribed it from memory. On behalf of his family, I would like to make the score available on IMSLP. Could I create a category for him in which to post my transcription? Would the family need to provide written permission?

[Sallen112]

I would say yes even if your transcribing an existing work of a recently deceased composer. Even if most of the contribution is yours, we would probably need a letter of permission from the composer's heir or heirs to host his works. Basically, your score your contributing would be a "reconstruction" of an existing piece.

[A. St. Pierre]

Thank you Sallen112. When agreed to and signed by the heir of Frederick W. B. Monks, will these terms suffice as permission to publish my transcription on IMSLP:

I, the undersigned Frederick S. Monks, grant to Anthony St. Pierre unconditional permission to publish his aural transcription of a choral score entitled O Fear the Lord composed by my father, Frederick W. B. Monks (17 April 1923–8 January 1989) via IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project). The score will be available for anyone, anywhere in the world, to download and to use in keeping with the terms of the ‘Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial-No derivatives status’ it will be assigned. (Anthony St. Pierre, IMSLP, and users may not profit financially from the score.)

[DBMiller]

Thank you Sallen112. When agreed to and signed by the heir of Frederick W. B. Monks, will these terms suffice as permission to publish my transcription on IMSLP:

I, the undersigned Frederick S. Monks, grant to Anthony St. Pierre unconditional permission to publish his aural transcription of a choral score entitled O Fear the Lord composed by my father, Frederick W. B. Monks (17 April 1923–8 January 1989) via IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project). The score will be available for anyone, anywhere in the world, to download and to use in keeping with the terms of the ‘Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial-No derivatives status’ it will be assigned. (Anthony St. Pierre, IMSLP, and users may not profit financially from the score.)

Please have the heir send permissions to carolus@imslp.org, make your submission and then it can be approved.

[A. St. Pierre]

Thank you for this instruction.