Frederick William Gaisberg

Frederick William Gaisberg (1 January 1873 – 2 September 1951) was an American musician, recording engineer and one of the earliest classical music producers for the gramophone. He himself did not use the term 'producer', and was not an impresario like his protégé Walter Legge of EMI or an innovator like John Culshaw of Decca. Gaisberg concentrated on talent-scouting and persuading performers to make recordings for the newly invented Gramophone.

Gaisberg began working in the recording industry in America as a young man, becoming a pioneer of early recording, and also worked as piano accompanist for the Berliner Gram-O-Phone Company, the inventors of the practical lateral-groove disc and associated playback apparatus, the Berliner Gramophone. In 1898, he joined the Gramophone Company in England as its first recording engineer. In 1902, he recorded music sung by the tenor Enrico Caruso and the recordings became a sensation. By 1921, Gaisberg was artistic director of HMV's 'international artistes' department. After 1925, he concentrated on artist management. In 1939, he retired from his position but continued as a consultant in the industry through the 1940s.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1873 (Washington, D.C.), Died September 2, 1951 (Hampstead)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1892 - 1920

Roles Represented in DAHR: recordist, composer, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 401-425 of 1229 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone 3174c 12-in. 5/2/1917 Mal reggendo all'aspro assalto Elvira Casazza ; Bernardo De Muro Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3175c 12-in. 5/2/1917 Il trovatore Elvira Casazza ; Bernardo De Muro Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3176c 12-in. 5/2/1917 Si, fui soldato Bernardo De Muro Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3177c 12-in. 5/2/1917 Di quella pira Bernardo De Muro Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3179c 12-in. 5/9/1917 Dio! Mi potevi scagliar Bernardo De Muro Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3181c 12-in. 5/9/1917 Perigliarti ancor languente Elvira Casazza ; Bernardo De Muro Vocal duet (mezzo-soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3183c 12-in. 5/19/1917 Esultate Bernardo De Muro Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3184c 12-in. 5/19/1917 Prima che d'altri vivere Ernesto Badini ; Bernardo De Muro ; Maria Roggero Vocal trio (soprano, tenor, and baritone), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3185c 12-in. 5/19/1917 Il fior che avevi Bernardo De Muro Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3203b 10-in. 3/2/1903 Casey's fight with Oney Gagin Russell Hunting Monologue recordist  
Gramophone 3204c 12-in. 6/5/1917 M'ami, m'ami Bolis, Luigi (1841-1932) ; Celestina Boninsegna Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3205c 12-in. 6/5/1917 Vicino a te s'acqueta Bolis, Luigi (1841-1932) ; Celestina Boninsegna Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3206b 10-in. 3/2/1903 Casey at Denny Murphy's wake Russell Hunting Monologue recordist  
Gramophone 3227b 10-in. 3/7/1903 Casey at the telephone Russell Hunting Monologue recordist  
Gramophone 3228b 10-in. 3/7/1903 Casey courting his girl Russell Hunting Monologue recordist  
Gramophone 3229b 10-in. 3/7/1903 Casey as a judge Russell Hunting Monologue recordist  
Gramophone 3230b 10-in. 3/7/1903 Casey as an insurance agent Russell Hunting Monologue recordist  
Gramophone 3314c 12-in. 10/17/1918 Duetto finale dell'opera Elvira Casazza ; Beniamino Gigli Vocal duet (mezzo-soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3316c 12-in. 10/19/1918 Laggiu nelle nebbie remote Elvira Casazza ; Beniamino Gigli Vocal duet (mezzo-soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3323c 12-in. 11/5/1918 Ah riveder la nelle sua stanzette Beniamino Gigli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3325c 12-in. 11/9/1918 Spirto gentil Beniamino Gigli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3331c 12-in. 11/21/1918 Enzo Grimaldo, Principe di Santafior Beniamino Gigli ; Dario Zani Vocal duet tenor and baritone), with vocal chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3332c 12-in. 11/21/1918 Salve, dimora Beniamino Gigli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 3536f 12-in. 7/23/1909 Speech on the budget David Lloyd George Speech recordist  
Gramophone HO3901af 12-in. 7/25/1919 O nature, pleine de grâce Fernand Ansseau Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra and piano recordist  
(Results 401-425 of 1229 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gaisberg, Frederick William," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

Gaisberg, Frederick William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

"Gaisberg, Frederick William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625

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