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 26-50 of 1229 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone MELBA 26 12-in. Apr. 1904 Porgi amor Nellie Melba Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone MELBA 27 12-in. Apr. 1904 Si mes vers avaient des ailes Nellie Melba Soprano vocal solo, with piano recordist  
Gramophone D34b 10-in. 1904 Schnadahüpfeln Franz Misfeld [i.e., Gustav Schönwald] Male vocal solo, with trumpets and piano recordist  
Gramophone 47R[b] 12-in. ca. Mar. 1903 Going to the races Dan Leno Monologue, with piano accompaniment recordist  
Gramophone 50R[b] 12-in. ca. Mar. 1903 The huntsman Dan Leno Male vocal solo and monologue, with piano accompaniment recordist  
Gramophone HO157c 12-in. 7/1/1912 Chant d'amour Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone HO163c 12-in. 7/1/1912 The maiden's wish Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone HO169c 12-in. 7/1/1912 Aufschwung Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone HO180c 12-in. 7/3/1912 La campanella Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone HO 182c 12-in. 7/3/1912 Étude in F Minor, No. 2 Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone HO184c 12-in. 7/3/1912 Berceuse Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone 263aj 12-in. 6/2/1911 Ah, non mi ridestar! Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 267m 12-in. approximately 1906 Magic fire spell Alfred Grünfeld Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone 278aj 12-in. 6/6/1911 D’acqua aspergimi Mattia Battistini ; Attilia Janni Vocal duet (soprano and bariton), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 281aj 12-in. 6/6/1911 Bella è di sol vestite Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 284aj 12-in. 6/6/1911 Bel sogno beato di pace Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 298aj 12-in. 6/20/1911 Mi chiamano Mimi Claudia Muzio Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 313aj 12-in. 6/27/1911 Niun mi tema Antonio Paoli Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 341aj 12-in. July 1911 Valse brillante Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone 345aj 12-in. July 1911 Minuet in G (Ignace Jan Paderewski, Op. 14, No. 1) Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone 347aj 12-in. July 1911 Hark, hark, the lark Ignace Jan Paderewski Piano solo recordist  
Gramophone 352aj 12-in. 7/28/1911 A te questo rosario Giuseppina Bonetti ; Ugo Cannetti ; Vittorio De Goetzen ; Rinalda Pavoni Vocal quartet (2 sopranos, baritone, and bass) with chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 362aj 12-in. 7/31/1911 Dite più bella imagine Rinalda Pavoni ; Giuseppe Tommasini Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 363aj 12-in. 7/31/1911 Alfin t'ho colto Vittorio De Goetzen ; Rinalda Pavoni Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 365aj 12-in. 7/31/1911 O mia Selika Rinalda Pavoni ; Giuseppe Tommasini Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra recordist  
(Results 26-50 of 1229 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gaisberg, Frederick William," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

Gaisberg, Frederick William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

"Gaisberg, Frederick William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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