Is Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring now in the public domain?

Answer 1

In short: no. Here's the thing:

Appalachian Spring comprises two separate works: the score by Aaron Copland and the choreography by Martha Graham. Because Graham was more artist than businesswoman, there was a long period of her creativity where the rights were not clearly assigned to the company (assuming that they were works created for hire in Graham's capacity as an employee). Copland, on the other hand, was represented by a publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, so his score IS subject to copyright, and since Copland didn't die until 1990, the first copyright renewal on the score isn't due for some time. In fact, thanks to the 1998 Sonny Bono act, the term of copyright for the score is some 95 years from the date of original publication, meaning that while the choreography is in the public domain and has been for some time, the score won't be in the public domain until somewhere around 2036, assuming that the copyright is not renewed (and it's highly unlikely that it won't be).

The ensuing portion of the earlier answer is correct with regard to the choreography, but the music is Copland's work, not Graham's:

This is the first time that "Appalachian Spring" will be danced by a company other than the Graham company since the pivotal federal court ruling last year that awarded rights to a majority of Graham's ballets to the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance. "Appalachian Spring" and other works were designated as "in the public domain" by the Southern District of New York Judge Miriam Cederbaum.