unless they specifically tell you not to I assume it is okay....
i mean, come on, as if they could honestly track down every copy of their music ever printed and stop people? at the end of the day if they dont want their music performed by others, don't publish it- just keep it for yourself... simple as
As best we understand it, the object of keeping track of public performances of copyright music is not to try to preclude its performance but to ensure that any due returns and payments are made in respect of it - and it's certainly not, as you appear to suggest, about tracking down printed copies of scores so that performances can be prevented. The question of copyright in printed or ms. music scores is a different area to that of its public performance.
You are, of course, correct in suggesting that if a composer wants to prevent any of his works being performed in public, his/her best policy is not to publish it - and by "publish" here, I mean make available in any form as a document from which performences could be prepared and given. Composers do occasionally withdraw works for this very reason - and that is their prerogative; we are, for example, responsible for the distribution of most of Marc-André Hamelin's music and he has twice asked us to withdraw pieces that he has come to decide he no longer wishes to be issued. Of course, if a piece that a composer wishes to witdraw from future distribution has already been widely circulated, that does present a problem - and obviously not one that has an easy solution...
Best,
Alistair
Topic: Ligeti - White on White sheets