Recording worship (audio and video)
You need permission to make audio and video recordings of
the performance of works in copyright. In catholic worship,
these works include:
- the texts of the liturgy;
- the text of the homily;
- the texts and music of hymns and songs which are in copyright.
The priest, deacon, musicians and other lay ministers ‘own’
their ‘performance’ in the celebration of the liturgy. You need
their permission to make a recording.
Parish priests can forbid recording in their churches.
The wedding video
Videographers should be aware of their obligations in law and
their need to obtain a Wedding Video-Recording Licence
to record works in copyright. Details can be accessed at
www.videolicence.co.uk
Parishes might consider holding a stock of application forms
for this licence to assist wedding couples and their videographers.
Forms can be obtained through the web address above.
The parish priest is responsible in law for any recordings
of the performance of works in copyright in his church. He
will not allow recording to take place unless he is satisfied
beforehand that a licence giving permission has been issued.
It is the responsibility of the videographer to get the licence and
to show it to the parish priest before the wedding begins.
It is usual for ministers and musicians to receive double fees
when they have given their permission to be recorded. This
is left to their discretion.
Other celebrations
Recording equipment is often produced at baptisms, first
communions, confirmations and other special occasions. It
may not be used to record the live performance of works in
copyright unless:
- those doing the recording have obtained prior permission to do so;
- the ministers of the liturgy consent to being recorded.
It is best to make one recording, from which a limited number
of licensed copies can be made.
To ask for permission to record lyrics and music in copyright,
and distribute copies of the recording for private use, contact
the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) for a
Limited Availability Product licence.
MCPS-PRS Alliance
Copyright House
29-33 Berners Street
London
W1T 3AB
Tel: 020 7580 5544
www.prs.co.uk
If the parish holds a Church Copyright Licence from CCLi
and only lyrics and music covered by that licence are being
recorded, this MCPS licence is not required.
You are no longer required to apply for permission from the
Bishops’ Conference Liturgy Office to make a private recording
of ICEL/ICET texts of the liturgy. It might be reasonable to
assume that ICEL grants this permission.
The authors of this
guide suggest the following conditions should be observed:
- the recording (or copy of the master recording) you
a special event or as a means to enable someone
absent from the event to experience it;
- no further copies of the recording are made;
- the ICEL/ICET copyrights are acknowledged (either
It might be reasonable to adopt a similar policy in regard to
making a recording for private use of the readings and the
psalm. Contact the publishers to make sure.
Making a fund-raising recording
You need permission to record the live performance of works
in copyright in church or in school and distribute copies of
that recording for profit.
CCLi issue a Church Music Recording Licence (CMRL) on
behalf of the MCPS. If the piece of church music you wish to
record is in copyright but not covered this licence, contact the
copyright owner directly for permission to make a recording.
(To make recordings of secular music, contact the MCPS
directly.)
ICEL publish a policy on the commercial recording of their
texts of the liturgy (http://www.icelweb.org/copyright.htm).
If your recording includes any of these texts and any part of
a Liturgy of the Word, you must:
ask for permission to record the ICEL/ICET texts (not
the readings) from ICEL: permission@eliturgy.org
ask for permission to record the readings from the
publishers:
- the Jerusalem Bible: sales@darton-longman-todd.co.uk
- the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible: nrsvcopyright@aol.com
- the responsorial psalms: permissions@harpercollins.co.uk
State:
- exactly what you want to record;
- the number of copies of the recording you want to make;
- that you intend to sell the copies.
Recording texts and music which are out of copyright
There is no need to apply for any permission to make a
recording of material which is out of copyright and in the
public domain. Take care with modern editions of old music.
Copyright in them might belong to their editor or publisher
and you will need permission to record their performance.
Remember also the 70 years rule: the Widor Toccata was still
in copyright in 2006, as Widor died in 1937.