Exclusive rights of the commissioner

[Pulcinella]

No, I'm not talking about Death in Paradise (an astonishing 100 episodes of which recently having been celebrated by the commissioner getting shot!), but have been prompted by comments on the Ozawa thread, specifically about Britten's Diversions, commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein.
He famously reserved performing rights (and refused to play at least one piece, which remained unheard until after his death, I think), and I wonder if that has contributed to a certain lower awareness/popularity of some of the works (Ravel's LH concerto being a notable exception).

Have other commissions been similarly affected by the person who commissioned the work not releasing it to other performers?

[smittims]

There was a similar case with Vaughan Williams' Piano Concerto. It was written at Harriet Cohen's request and VW humorously suggested 10,000 kisses as a commission fee. He also gave her exclusive performing right for a year. She found it difficult to play; according to Sir Adrian Boult (BBC internal memo) she could not even play all the notes, and this resulted in its neglect.

When in 1946 VW and Joseph Cooper rearranged it for two pianos she complained to him, and he tried to mollify her. Despite all this the concerto had a long hard road to beign accepted generally as one of his major works.

The tale is told in Hugh Cobbe's splendid collection of VW's letters (OUP).

[Maclintick]

No, I'm not talking about Death in Paradise (an astonishing 100 episodes of which recently having been celebrated by the commissioner getting shot!), but have been prompted by comments on the Ozawa thread, specifically about Britten's Diversions, commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein.
He famously reserved performing rights (and refused to play at least one piece, which remained unheard until after his death, I think), and I wonder if that has contributed to a certain lower awareness/popularity of some of the works (Ravel's LH concerto being a notable exception).

Have other commissions been similarly affected by the person who commissioned the work not releasing it to other performers?

The Wittgenstein commission you refer to must be Hindemith's Klaviermusik mit Orchester op.29, which languished unplayed for over 80 years from 1923 because Wittgenstein's widow refused to authorise performance. I'm ashamed to say I've never heard it, but by happy coincidence, since this present thread was prompted by reflections on Seiji Ozawa's excellent CD of LH concertos with Leon Fleisher, the world première of Klaviermusik mit Orchester was given by Fleisher with the BPO conducted by Simon Rattle in 2004.

[Pulcinella]

The Wittgenstein commission you refer to must be Hindemith's Klaviermusik mit Orchester op.29, which languished unplayed for over 80 years from 1923 because Wittgenstein's widow refused to authorise performance. I'm ashamed to say I've never heard it, but by happy coincidence, since this present thread was prompted by reflections on Seiji Ozawa's excellent CD of LH concertos with Leon Fleisher, the world première of Klaviermusik mit Orchester was given by Fleisher with the BPO conducted by Simon Rattle in 2004.

And Fleisher subsequently recorded it (under Eschenbach); I streamed it yesterday.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7979657--christoph-eschenbach-conducts-hindemith-dvorak

I suspect that Wittgenstein was a little unusual in having contracts that gave him exclusive performing rights for his lifetime (rather than just for a few years, say).

[richardfinegold]

Didn't the Vatican have exclusive rights to something that Mozart then patent-busted by memorizing?

[Pulcinella]

Didn't the Vatican have exclusive rights to something that Mozart then patent-busted by memorizing?

Today's certainly the day to recall that, Richard!

I don't see an ashes emoticon, and we probably shouldn't drink champagne at the start of Lent, but never mind!

[richardfinegold]

Today's certainly the day to recall that, Richard!

I don't see an ashes emoticon, and we probably shouldn't drink champagne at the start of Lent, but never mind!

My wife is Catholic, and I had to ask her if Ash Wednesday always falls on St. Valentines Day

[Pulcinella]

My wife is Catholic, and I had to ask her is Ash Wednesday always falls on St. Valentines Day

Opera North is performing Cosi fan tutte in Leeds tonight (thought about going but I have a cough/cold): an interesting choice for St Valentine's Day!
And you will have learned that (not being a moveable feast) it rarely coincides with the first day of Lent.

[Sir Velo]

My wife is Catholic, and I had to ask her if Ash Wednesday always falls on St. Valentines Day

You had to ask your wife to check whether 14 February is always a Wednesday?

And before any smartaleck responds, I know Ash Wednesday is a movable feast!

[smittims]

Just in case anyone doesn't know, I think richard is referring to Allegri's Miserere, which was kept exclusive to the Sistine Chapel by not letting the parts out of the door. Mozart heard it sung there when a boy, visiting with his father,and afterwards wrote it out from memory (not as miraculous a feat as it sounds, if you know the piece). Leopold was concerned they'd get into trouble, but it seems no offence was committed.

[pastoralguy]

I believe that certain songs written for Madonna are considered Exclusive Rights and so there will be no covers of some of her greatest hits.

[Pulcinella]

I believe that certain songs written for Madonna are considered Exclusive Rights and so there will be no covers of some of her greatest hits.

Maybe there is a god, after all.

[Maclintick]

I suspect that Wittgenstein was a little unusual in having contracts that gave him exclusive performing rights for his lifetime (rather than just for a few years, say).

....and possibly unique in that the contract gave Wittgenstein's widow the right to withhold performing rights after her husband's death.(thanks for heads-up on the Curtis recording, BTW)