Version: 1.0
Date: 2026-02-11
Purpose: Verified list of composers whose works are in the public domain (2026 baseline)
2026 baseline: Composer died before 1956 → 70-year rule satisfied in all major jurisdictions.
For extra safety margin, this list uses died before 1950 as the default cutoff.
No jurisdiction disputes. Maximum safety.
| Composer | Born | Died | Years Since Death | Key Works | ||||
| J.S. Bach | 1685 | 1750 | 276 | Well-Tempered Clavier, Brandenburg Concertos | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozart | 1756 | 1791 | 235 | Piano Sonatas, Symphonies, Requiem | ||||
| Beethoven | 1770 | 1827 | 199 | Piano Sonatas, Symphonies | ||||
| Chopin | 1810 | 1849 | 177 | Nocturnes, Etudes, Preludes | ||||
| Schubert | 1797 | 1828 | 198 | Impromptus, Moments Musicaux | ||||
| Schumann | 1810 | 1856 | 170 | Kinderszenen, Kreisleriana | ||||
| Liszt | 1811 | 1886 | 140 | Hungarian Rhapsodies, Liebestraum | ||||
| Brahms | 1833 | 1897 | 129 | Intermezzi, Hungarian Dances | ||||
| Tchaikovsky | 1840 | 1893 | 133 | Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Piano Concerto | ||||
| Dvořák | 1841 | 1904 | 122 | New World Symphony, Slavonic Dances | ||||
| Grieg | 1843 | 1907 | 119 | Peer Gynt, Piano Concerto | ||||
| Vivaldi | 1678 | 1741 | 285 | Four Seasons, Concertos | ||||
| Handel | 1685 | 1759 | 267 | Messiah, Water Music | ||||
| Haydn | 1732 | 1809 | 217 | Symphonies, String Quartets | ||||
| Mendelssohn | 1809 | 1847 | 179 | Songs Without Words, Violin Concerto |
70-year rule satisfied as of 2026. Verify per jurisdiction if distributing internationally.
| Composer | Born | Died | Years Since Death | Key Works | ||||
| Debussy | 1862 | 1918 | 108 | Clair de Lune, Arabesques | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satie | 1866 | 1925 | 101 | Gymnopédies, Gnossiennes | ||||
| Ravel | 1875 | 1937 | 89 | Boléro, Pavane, Jeux d'eau | ||||
| Rachmaninoff | 1873 | 1943 | 83 | Piano Concertos, Preludes | ||||
| Scriabin | 1872 | 1915 | 111 | Etudes, Preludes | ||||
| Fauré | 1845 | 1924 | 102 | Pavane, Requiem | ||||
| Puccini | 1858 | 1924 | 102 | Opera arias | ||||
| R. Strauss | 1864 | 1949 | 77 | Also sprach Zarathustra | ||||
| Bartók | 1881 | 1945 | 81 | Mikrokosmos, Romanian Dances | ||||
| Prokofiev | 1891 | 1953 | 73 | Piano Sonatas (verify: died 1953, borderline) |
Just barely within 70-year rule. Double-check before use.
| Composer | Born | Died | PD in 2026? | Notes | ||||
| Prokofiev | 1891 | 1953 | Yes (73yr) | Safe but recent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ives | 1874 | 1954 | Yes (72yr) | USA: pre-1928 works safe regardless |
| Composer | Died | PD Year (70yr rule) | Status | |||
| Shostakovich | 1975 | 2045 | COPYRIGHTED | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stravinsky | 1971 | 2041 | COPYRIGHTED | |||
| Copland | 1990 | 2060 | COPYRIGHTED | |||
| Britten | 1976 | 2046 | COPYRIGHTED | |||
| Bernstein | 1990 | 2060 | COPYRIGHTED |
1. Before using a composition: Check this list. If not listed, verify death year and add.
2. Tier 1 = default choice. Use Tier 2/3 only when Tier 1 doesn't have what you need.
3. Arrangements: A public domain composition can have a copyrighted arrangement. Only use the original version or self-arrange.
4. Editions: Modern editions of scores may have editorial copyright. Use urtext editions (IMSLP) when available.
5. USA special rule: Works published before 1928 are public domain in USA regardless of composer death year.
Built between shifts.