129 Troilo on El Bandoneón; Di Sarli insrumentals; copyright
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 11:07:18 +0100
From: Mike Lavocah <mlavocah@IPWIRELESS.COM>
Subject: Troilo on El Bandoneón; Di Sarli insrumentals; copyright
Steve / Everyone
In general I agree that the Troilo recordings on El Bandoneón are quite
poor. However this is not true for EBCD1, El Inmortal Pichuco. This disc is
actually pirated by El Bandoneón directly from the transfers on BMG's Obra
Completa en RCA vol.1, omitting the valses and milongas. The proof of this
lies on one of the tracks (I think it's Tabernero) which has a dropout in
it: the El Bandoneón disc has the dropout in exactly the same place. You can
hear that El Bandoneón apply a bit of filtering just for the duration of the
dropout. Did BMG lend their 78s to El Bandoneón?! I don't think so!!
For Di Sarli, I agree that the BMG release on Tango Argentino is a litle
disappointing because, quite unnecessarily, they applied some unpleasant
reverb. However, you will find the lovely clean transfers you are looking
for on the FM Tango disc. This is one of the few FM Tango discs still
available and, whilst not very easy to obtain, you can get it quite easily
at the moment on Solo Tango (which are all reprints of FM Tango) for less
money, if you don't mind the cover!
Copyright is a very complex field. It's not quite true I'm afraid that the
copyright has expired. There are two copyrights: that on the composition,
and that on the recording. In Argentina one lasts 50 years and the other 75
years, I forget which is which. However, it is possible to renew the
copyright on the composition, and also to buy and sell them. For instance,
Por Una Cabeza is now copyrighted by Warner Brothers!
However the most important thing is that this marvellous music is made
available to a public which loves it and derives sustenance and nourishment
from it. Great music is not just a commercial venture; the record companies
hold this material in trust for future generations. None of them have done
very well in this regard, having all destroyed their archives, but at least
EMI and BMG have made re-issues from 78s held in private collections. Just
look at Sony, who own the old Columbia copyrights but have not issued a
single CD of this material. For instance, Pedro Maffia's fantastic early
1930s sides, which are even today known only to a handful of private
collectors. If the record companies refuse to let people listen to these
treasures then the public is going to feel quite justified in taking matters
into their own hands.
Mike Lavocah
mailto:mike@milonga.co.uk
https://www.milonga.co.uk/
