TromboneChat

All the standard warnings about just what it means to have a work enter the public domain when there is a potentially long history of usage.

Notable jazz standards include:

Body and Soul
Georgia on My Mind
I Got Rhythm
Love For Sale

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it does appear that the great Hanson Symphony No. 2 is in this list.

AndrewMeronek wrote: Thu Jan 01, 2026 12:02 pm Correct me if I'm wrong, but it does appear that the great Hanson Symphony No. 2 is in this list.

Maybe not. It was first performed in late 1930, but it looks like the copyright date is 1932, as shown in the score in this video:

(it's a bit hard to read, even at 1080p, but I'm pretty sure that says "1932")

I think that copyright extends from date of composition, not date of publication?

Oh I see. For works before 1978, copy applies to date of publication not date of creation.

Stupid Copyright law!