Last updated May 19, 2023
The information in this Hymn Owner Index is not guaranteed to be comprehensive or accurate and is not offered or intended as legal advice. The information provided here and in the Index spreadsheet may change, since it will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
Introduction
This introduction is intended to help readers make use of this Hymn Owner Index (“Index”).
The Index is referenced in the Copyright Guidelines for Branches holding Hybrid Services in the US, followed by the Music Licensing Guidelines for Hybrid Services in the US, which should both be reviewed prior to consulting the Index. You can find definitions for capitalized terms in those prior two Guidelines.
The Index includes “Hymns” from:
Christian Science Hymnal (1932) (“1932 Hymnal”)
Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603 (2017) (“2017 Hymnal”)
The Index does not include:
Hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal Supplement: Hymns 430–462 (2008), many of which are included in the 2017 Hymnal (under different numbers in most cases)
Other Songs, such as preludes, postludes, offertories, and solos
Recordings of Hymns, which have separate copyrights from the Hymn Elements (words and music), and may have different Owners. If you wish to incorporate a Recording in your Hybrid Services, you will need to seek permission from the Owner of the Recording. In some cases the Owner may be the Christian Science Publishing Society (“CSPS”) or the Christian Science Board of Directors (“CSBD”) (see Section 12 of the Music Licensing Guidelines)
Translations of Hymn words (see Section 10 of the Music Licensing Guidelines)
The Index is intended primarily for use by Branches holding Hybrid Services in the US. For questions about using Hymns or other Songs owned by TMC for purposes other than Hybrid Services (such as making recordings for public distribution, please visit Application for permission to reuse materials or contact musicpermissions@csps.com.
How to use the spreadsheet
Determine what permissions your Branch needs in order to use a Hymn in its Hybrid Services:
1. Find the copyright status of the hymn Elements. Hymns consist of two Elements, the words and the music. Elements in a single Hymn can be owned by different Owners and there can be more than one Owner of a single Element.
You can find the copyright status of the Elements in columns G and H. There are four ownership categories that may be referenced:
“PD” (“Public Domain” / no longer under copyright)
“CSBD” (owned by TMC)
“LICENSE REQUIRED” (owned by a third party)
“UNKNOWN” (currently owner unknown or status unclear).
2. Determine how your Branch wishes to use the hymn’s words and/or music. See the Music Licensing Guidelines which discuss various options for using Songs, including hymns, in Hybrid Services. Licensing representatives may be listed in addition to copyright Owners in columns I and J (these columns are currently under construction and will be updated periodically).
Each Branch is responsible for obtaining the copyright licenses it needs for its Hybrid Services. Attribution to authors and composers, and copyright notices, where applicable, should always be included.
Hymn Copyright Status
Elements marked "Public Domain" are not guaranteed to be in the public domain in any country worldwide. There may be third parties who claim rights to these Elements, including rights beyond copyright, such as moral rights. Hymn words by Mary Baker Eddy in English are in the Public Domain in the US.
Elements marked CSBD are owned by the Christian Science Board of Directors in the US and presumably elsewhere in the world. As these Guidelines are directed to Branches in the US, TMC can represent that CSBD owns these Elements in the US. Outside the US, while CSBD may own the Elements, it is also possible that these Elements are in the Public Domain, are owned by third parties, or have unknown copyright status. Branches outside the US should see Section 6 of the Copyright Guidelines.
Elements marked “Unknown” are ones for which we have been unable to determine the copyright status. It is possible that such Elements are in the Public Domain. It is also possible that they are still under copyright, but we have been unable to identify or locate the Owner. Getting permission to use Elements marked “Unknown” may be difficult or impossible.
Using Elements marked “Unknown” (and in some cases “Public Domain”) without permission may result in inadvertent copyright infringement. You will need to decide for your Branch whether it is appropriate to use such Elements. You may wish to do your own research and to work with a copyright lawyer to determine the copyright status. Alternatively, you may elect to omit such Elements from your Hybrid Services.
If you find any information relevant to the copyright status of any Element marked “Unknown,” please let us know by emailing musicpermissions@csps.com.
Elements marked “License Required” are believed to be owned by third party Owners in the US and possibly elsewhere. Seek licenses from Owners or their respective licensing representatives. See Section 6 of the Music LIcensing Guidelines.
The most recent copyright notices provided to us by Owners are listed in column B, and may be more current than what appears in the printed Hymnals. We will be updating this Index as new information becomes available
Attributions
Attribution to authors and composers, and copyright notices where applicable, should always be included in your Hybrid Services. See Section 13 of the Music Licensing Guidelines.
Note that where an asterisk appears after an author’s name, or the words “slightly revised” or “slightly altered” appear after a composer’s name, in the 1932 Hymnal, it means there were slight changes made to the text or tune. These have been indicated in the attribution and copyright notices provided in column B using “(alt.)”.
Abbreviations in Index
Alt. = Altered
Anon. = Anonymous
Arr. = Arranged
CSBD = Christian Science Board of Directors
CSPS = The Christian Science Publishing Society
Harm. = Harmonization
Ren. = Renewed (copyright)
Tr. = Translation
Transc. = Transcription