Dear Stewart, Roman, and all, Poor countries and access to resources: It is a difficult matter indeed. What to do about it? I'm in the other end of the spectrum, the one "benefited" from the free online resources or the donations. And the one doing most illegal actions.
I'll tell you what happens down here (Argentina): we freely exchange sheet music in any form, especially by photocopies, but also--and by those of us who are lucky enough to have a computer--by pdf files, by sharing links to web sites we found with sheet music, etc. That's the only way we're able to access material to produce guitarists, lutenists, and musicians in general. Some of us fortunate to have money to make copies or connect to the Internet: many students don't, and we have to "donate" photocopies for them, they're that poor. Fortunately, they don't have to pay for lessons, the Conservatory is free and paid by the government. But sometimes, at the beginning of the year, you can find students (9 or 10 year old) who go to the small kitchen in the Conservatory, hoping to get some food, food they don't get at home. Yes, it's that bad. BUT, some of us would be able to afford to buy a few items a year. We don't do it, because we're caught in this photocopying frenzy. And that's why you won't see any new editions coming from Argentina: we made publishers die, publishers like Ricordi Americana, who once had a incredible catalog of works. Composers in Argentina know this situation well, and give away copies of their works to anyone who shows interest in them without thinking it twice. And publish their works in foreign countries. About donations: I'm thankful to persons who are willing to donate items. But I don't think we would be receiving the amounts we need. And I'm sure anything you donate would be copied a thousand times, so keep it in mind, it would surely end up as more illegal copies in the world, not less. Of course, I'm speaking about musicians in general and guitarists in particular. There are no lutenists around here. So, I don't know what should be done. I appreciate the time anyone takes to think about this. Hernan Mouro. Conservatorio de Musica de Bahia Blanca, Argentina. PS: I wish libraries had online facsimiles with free access themselves. No one could complain about that. > Dear Roman, > > I have every sympathy with what you say. Those of us who own > good instruments and expensive music are most fortunate, > whether it came by luck, by hard work, or because we happen > to live in affluent societies. Of course, I would love to own > more instruments, better instruments, more music > (particularly lute facsimiles), but even though I cannot > afford these things, what I have already is far more than > many others may have.
