Respect is not rocket science
Oct. 10th, 2009 06:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teleribSo I hear through an email list that a clandestinely-recorded video of Ann and Charlie Heymann performing on their horsehair harp has been posted to YouTube. And several people on the email list mention that the Heymanns are usually pretty vigilant about having that kind of thing yanked. And, predictably: "Speaking as someone who has snuck his videocam into performances, my feeling is if you're a performer performing publicly then it's just more public exposure."
Well, spiffy. I'm glad that's your feeling. You should totally let people post YouTube videos of your performances.
But that is pretty obviously not the Heymanns' feelings (and I question whether or not a private, ticketed concert is "performing publicly").
Worse, these are people in the same community, people who allegedly look up to and respect Ann's scholarship and the work she's done in reviving the wire harp. People who ought to know how hard it is to make a living as a musician, and how important intellectual property rights are. In short, the people I'd have most expected to say, "Not cool, that's not allowed."
Because, although it isn't any more right, it's easier to wrap your head around "well it's a big rock band and they're swimming in money" or "they've jacked their prices up so high, the true fans will never get to see it except this way" or whatever the rationale du jour is. You don't know a big rock band or a famous movie director.
But a lot of wire harpers have met Ann and Charlie. Personally. They may not be bosom friends, but they're real people who we know. And the disrespect just staggers me.
Well, spiffy. I'm glad that's your feeling. You should totally let people post YouTube videos of your performances.
But that is pretty obviously not the Heymanns' feelings (and I question whether or not a private, ticketed concert is "performing publicly").
Worse, these are people in the same community, people who allegedly look up to and respect Ann's scholarship and the work she's done in reviving the wire harp. People who ought to know how hard it is to make a living as a musician, and how important intellectual property rights are. In short, the people I'd have most expected to say, "Not cool, that's not allowed."
Because, although it isn't any more right, it's easier to wrap your head around "well it's a big rock band and they're swimming in money" or "they've jacked their prices up so high, the true fans will never get to see it except this way" or whatever the rationale du jour is. You don't know a big rock band or a famous movie director.
But a lot of wire harpers have met Ann and Charlie. Personally. They may not be bosom friends, but they're real people who we know. And the disrespect just staggers me.
