Public Domain
but wet die see such kenny
piotr tschaikovsky
1869
— Composition copyright —
Songwriter & publisher
- Songwriter(s)
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Publisher
- Unknown
- First published
- 1869
Rule · Compositions first published before 1931 are in the US public domain (95-year term under the 1976 Copyright Act, as extended by the Sonny Bono CTEA).
The composition, 'Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture' by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was first composed and published in its initial version in 1869. Under U.S. copyright law, musical compositions published before 1929 (which includes works published before 1923, as well as those published from 1923 through 1928, which had their copyright terms expire in 2024) are firmly in the public domain. Works from 1869 fall well within this category.
Since Tchaikovsky died in 1893, and the work was published in 1869, its copyright term (even under the longest possible extensions, which were primarily for works published in the 20th century) would have expired many decades ago. This means the underlying musical work is free for anyone to perform, arrange, record, or adapt without needing to clear rights with a publisher or the composer's estate.
Sound recording and composition are two separate copyrights. Even if one is public domain, the other may still be protected — clear cover, sample, and sync rights independently.
No Internet Archive copy was automatically found.
Search archive.org →— Rule Applied —
The deterministic finding
Pre-1923 recording — entered the US public domain on January 1, 2022 under the Music Modernization Act (17 U.S.C. § 1401(a)(2)(A)).
— AI Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The sound recording 'but wet die see such kenny' (a likely phonetic rendition of 'Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture' by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) is indicated as having been fixed in 1869. Under the Music Modernization Act (MMA), specifically 17 U.S.C. § 1401(a)(2)(A), sound recordings fixed before January 1, 1923, entered the US public domain on January 1, 2022. As an 1869 recording, it clearly falls into this category.
This provision of the MMA was designed to bring pre-1972 sound recordings, which previously existed in a patchwork of state-level protections, under federal copyright law and establish clear public domain entry dates. Recordings made in the 19th century, such as early wax cylinder or phonograph recordings, were among the first to benefit from this federal clarification, ensuring their availability for public use without copyright restrictions.
Given the likely age of any recording labeled '1869' by 'Piotr Tchaikovsky,' it predates any modern commercial recording industry and would have been an early experimental or amateur recording, or more likely, refers to the composition's creation date. Regardless of its actual first fixation date, if it were genuinely a '1869' sound recording, it would unequivocally be in the public domain under the MMA.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- 17 U.S.C. § 1401(a)(2)(A) (Music Modernization Act)
- U.S. Copyright Office - Music Modernization Act Summary
- Copyright Law of the United States of America
This analysis is AI-generated for informational research only and does not constitute legal advice. Sound-recording status under the MMA does not determine the status of the underlying composition. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.
