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Type of site | Music score library |
|---|---|
| Available in | English with some help pages in other languages |
| Owner | CPDL community |
| Created by | Rafael Ornes |
| URL | www |
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | Optional (required for contributing) |
| Launched | December 1998 (26 years ago) (1998-12) |
| Current status | Active |
TheChoral Public Domain Library (CPDL), also known asChoralWiki, is an online community and repository forchoral and vocalmusic. Its contents primarily includesheet music in thepublic domain or otherwise freely available for printing and performing (such as via permission from the copyright holder).
It is a501(c)(3), tax-deductible organization,[1] whose contents are published under one of multiple types of specific copyright licenses. Editing articles or contributing scores is allowed only for contributors who create a free account. The CPDL stands withIMSLP,Musopen and theWind Repertory Project as among the most prominent online music repertoire databases.[2]
The site CPDL.org was launched in December 1998 by Rafael Ornes.[3][4] In 2005 CPDL wasported, or converted, towiki format, and is also known asChoralWiki.[5] In July 2008, Ornes stepped back from site administration and turned over operational responsibilities to a transition committee which subsequently incorporated CPDL as a non-profit under California state law and now operates CPDL.[5]
In addition to making sheet music scores available, the site includes:
Music is available for freedownload in a variety offormats, including score images inPDF,PS andTIFF format, sound files inMIDI andMP3 formats, and in the notation formats supported by various notation programs, includingFinale,Sibelius,NoteWorthy Composer,Encore, and the open sourceGNU LilyPond. Most scores on CPDL are distributed under anopen-source license. As of 1 December 2017, CPDL archives over 27,800 scores by more than 2,900 composers, contributed by over 1,200 editors and contributors.[6] It includes large numbers of scores from theRenaissance andBaroque eras, including nearly complete vocal works byWilliam Byrd andTomás Luis de Victoria in excellent editions.[citation needed]
CPDL is suggested as a resource by departmental or faculty websites atKent State University,Northern Illinois University, theUniversity of Oregon, theUniversity of Western Ontario, the Internet Public Library of theUniversity of Michigan, theUniversity at Albany, The State University of New York, by theUCLA Music Library, by the libraries at the Universities ofBoston[7] andStanford and by inclusion by faculty members in syllabi for courses at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Oshkosh.[8] It is recommended by the Iowa and Massachusetts chapters of theAmerican Choral Directors Association, and is included in the resource database of Intute, an association of Institutions in the UK.[9]
Jason Sickel has described the CPDL as a Gold Mine for Choral Directors.[10]
Unless a contributor elects one of multiple copyright license types supported, contents are published under a default specific copyright license[11] based on theGNU GPL license.
The default CPDL license allows copying/distributing copies of a musical edition, as well as modification and derivative works free or for a fee, as permitted by the license, conspicuously retaining on each copy the applicable copyright notice and/or other references to the license/terms under which it is distributed.