I don't think this is much of a contention point personally;PuigdemontLoL wrote:
It was brought up in the mapping hub and even here with mint's words, but where do you draw the line between something being a mere performance and an entirely new work based on previous works? Even Midi performamces were brought up, and now covers as said by mint. What to do with those? Do we treat them under the same umbrella? Those are the questions to be answered to avoid the most confusion.
But do not misunderstand, I do fully back this idea due to how important should be to properly credit both the original composer and the respective performer.
Covers and arranges typically involve some form of re-writing of a previously commercially released song. Even if they are performed the same as the original song, they are still different from a classical composition being performed. Definitely not a legal expert by any means, but I think they are also considered differently on a copyright standpoint.
Think of it as a playwright & actors in theatre; Is the Macbeth written 4 centuries ago the same as the one played nowadays? As far as I'm aware, yes, though I suppose there is some differences of interpretation from one troupe to another when it is performed on stage. The same goes for composed classical pieces of yore; What Bach or Beethoven wrote hundreds of years ago is still what is being played today, even if there can be some interpretation based on the musicians/conductors performing the piece.
I'm curious as to what you mean exactly by "MIDI performances"? Depending on what you have in mind, this could go either way.