The Cleveland Orchestra sued Michael Jackson on Friday for allegedly using its recording of a Beethoven symphony on his "Dangerous" album.
The copyright infringement lawsuit in federal court seeks at least $7 million from Jackson and his company, MJJ Productions. Also named are his record label, Epic Records, and Epic's parent company, Sony Music Entertainment Inc.A 67-second choral snippet from Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9," "uniquely interpreted and conducted by the late George Szell," is heard at the beginning of Jackson's song, "Will You Be There," according to the lawsuit.
"We respect Michael Jackson's innovative efforts to integrate pop and classical music," said Thomas Morris, the orchestra's executive director.
But he charged the ensemble received no credit or compensation. The orchestra recorded the symphony in 1961 for Columbia Record's Masterworks label. Sony bought Columbia in 1988.