You can use the music itself without paying anyone. But you cannot
use a recording of the music without permission.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

so just to clarify I can play the pieces on a piano and use my recording and use that in a film is okay???

I am not sure what you meant by music itself.....thus asking

Yes. Any commercial recording is off limits. However, if you have the sheet music/score for the piece(s) you need, you can make your own recording with your own performer(s), as long as the performer(s) don't want to claim any rights to the recording afterwards.

To find music that is in public domain (i.e. not under copyright anymore), you can browse through the 'Petrucci Music Library' (free public domain sheet music) at http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page.

Anything that you can find there is in public domain in the US (and most certainly in the UK as well, since the term in the UK is shorter).

As for your questions about Debussy, yes, his works should be in public domain, as they were written/published before 1923 (in the US; 1940 in the UK). As for the works you mention, I'll assume you meant Clair de Lune (from the 'Suite Bergamasque'). As for "Noctrine symphony 9", there is no such work by Debussy (he never wrote symphonies); there is, however 'Nocturnes', an orchestral suite, as well as one 'Nocturne' for solo piano.

Bottom line, if you have the musicians (or if you're proficient yourself), you can record anything written by Debussy (actually, any classical work written before 1923 for the US, or 1940 for the UK) without asking for permission.

Thank you vasic...your'e a star!!!!

This is sound advice (no pun intended) but be very sure that you have played and recorded music that is out of copyright; many a film maker has come unstuck by thinking that anything over 50 years old etc is free, this is very definitely NOT SO.

Does not the sandalwood impart its fragrance even unto the axe that hews it

The matter of public domain music gets more complicated if we end up exporting our work. Different jurisdictions have different copyright terms. It is my understanding that in the UK, it is 50 years. However, in the US, several changes have been made to the copyright terms, most recently in 1998 ('Copyright Term Extension Act', popularly known as the 'Mickey Mouse Protection Act', because Disney heavily lobbied for it, as it extended copyright for Mickey Mouse by 20 more years, which would have expired within months). This law extended copyright to absurd periods of 70 years after the death of the author, or 120 years after the creation of work (when the owner is a corporation), or 95 years after first publication of that work (whichever of the two is earlier). The EU has a term of 70 years after the death of the author, but for rights of a recorded performance, it is only 50 years (meaning that Beatles recordings will soon start becoming public domain; the songs they recorded won't though).

you can use a piece without the rights to it only if you do the recording by you're self , and actually if you need something to be re-recorded i can do it for you , also if you need some original music i can do that too . just tell me:)