Charles, This raises the interesting question as to what is an arrangement. My harp ensemble is preparing for a Christmas perfomance (among other things, but this is a "pay for our supper" performance for the Church that allows us to use their parish house for our practice).
One piece we intend to play is Noel Nouvolet (The March of the Three Kings), a carol from Provence of about the 18th C, and also a march piece used by many classical composers as a component. I have an arrangement (copyright) for the double strung harp - the ensemble has an arrangement from another source for single course harps. My arrangement (written by a friend of mine, so the question is moot as she would give me permission) starts the piece in A minor, then modulates the piece, and the other arrangement starts at the key of the modulation and goes on rather boringly. The JSHE (Jersey Shore Harp Ensemble) is comfortable with the boring one. If I, as I will do, transcribe (yeah, transcribe) the 2X harp arrangement into three harp parts, one hand each (the limitations of my ensemble). Then set the modulation of the 2X piece (and the second hand of the 2X harp as a line for one group), and take the bass line of the other arrangement (with the glissandos my fellow harpist love, and I hate), then top that with the variations from my friend's 2X version, then close with a "walk off" of the A minor - - will I have "made an arrangement"? The variations, the modulation, and the 2nd harp part would all be from Beth's 2X arrangement, but the base structure would be from the traditional (and I think copyright, but I can't find my sheet music at the moment) arrangement. There will be original (to me) interplay between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd harps, as well as the use of the sound of each arrangement - both of which are written for single harps. I'm not really seeking an answer, and I certainly have no intention of seeking copyright. Just seeking thoughts on what is an "original arrangement". The lute, with the base piece and divisions is a prime example. We all know that adding a few divisions to a theme doesn't a copyright make, but where is the line. A matter that comes up less with the lute than with some other arrangements due to the lute's long history and the form of play. Best, Jon To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
