Copyright mon amour

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 I see today in the Guardian that the French court decides Ravel did not have help to compose Bolero. Oh well great, he wrote this on his own... but I can't help thinking, knowing and loving Maurice Ravel for so long, that so much of his music is coming from other influences... like other composers I suppose but still... why would the royalties monies just go to the Ravel heirs? 

Why not???

Cuba for the Bolero, Spain for the Rhapsodie Espagnole and l'heure Espagnole, Madagascar for Les chansons madécasses, and the whole of the African American community for all the jazzy bits in his music? Le concerto en sol, le concerto pour la main gauche, bits of l'heure Espagnole and of la sonate pour violon et piano ...

There are quite a few classical music composers inspired by jazz, Gershwin, Debussy, Bernstein, you name it   

It's a bit like Disney taking from the folklore and making films out of it... only I don't feel that 'stealing' beauty and the beast from France is a big issue.... 'stealing' from impoverish countries or people... that's another question. It would have been nice no? to give a bit of money to African American associations.



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