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 751-775 of 1229 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone 9536b 10-in. ca. 1906 Comme ’o zuccaro Gennaro Pasquariello Male vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9542b 10-in. 1906 ’A fforza t’aggi ’ama Gennaro Pasquariello Male vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9544b 10-in. ca. 1906 Palomma ’e notte Gennaro Pasquariello Male vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9546b 10-in. 1906 Tirulì, tirulà Gennaro Pasquariello Male vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9551b 10-in. ca. 1906 'A gelosia Gennaro Pasquariello Male vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9552b 10-in. ca. 1906 Viato a me Gennaro Pasquariello Male vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9554b 10-in. ca. 1906 E rimasto la impietrato : Cuarteto Linda Brambilla ; Antonio Pini-Corsi ; Gaetano Pini-Corsi ; Augusto Scipioni Vocal quartet (mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, and bass), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9556b 10-in. Dec. 1906 Cheti, cheti Antonio Pini-Corsi ; Augusto Scipioni Vocal duet (bartione and bass), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 9809b 10-in. 1/18/1907 On the go Alexander Prince Concertina solo recordist  
Gramophone 10135b 10-in. 1907 Then shall the righteous shine forth Edward Lloyd Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 10273b 10-in. Mar. 1907 El Danubio azul Alexander Prince Concertina solo recordist  
Gramophone 10278b 10-in. Mar. 1907 España Alexander Prince Concertina solo recordist  
Gramophone 10312b 10-in. March 1907 If with all your hearts Edward Lloyd Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 10379b 10-in. Apr. 1907 Maestri cantori : Act II Finale Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 10383b 10-in. April 1907 Preludio, Atto iv Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 10385b 10-in. Apr. 1907 Preludio Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 10415b 10-in. approximately May 1907 El mal de venter Speaker (unidentified; Gramophone Co.) Comic monologue recordist  
Gramophone 10417b 10-in. 5/1/1907 Al confessionale Unidentified performer(s) (Gramophone Co.) Comic scene recordist  
Gramophone 10419b 10-in. approximately May 1907 Un questione di campanile Speaker (unidentified; Gramophone Co.) Male comic monologue recordist  
Gramophone 10422b 10-in. approximately May 1907 I prodezz del Tecoppa Speaker (unidentified; Gramophone Co.) Comic monologue recordist  
Gramophone 10434b 10-in. approximately May 1907 Palomma ’e notte I Figli di Ciro Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental ensemble recordist  
Gramophone 10438b 10-in. May 1907 Esposizione marittima I Figli di Ciro Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental ensemble recordist  
Gramophone 10439b 10-in. approximately May 1907 ’Ndringhete ’ndra I Figli di Ciro Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental ensemble recordist  
Gramophone 10440b 10-in. May 1907 'O sfizio I Figli di Ciro Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental ensemble recordist  
Gramophone 10441b 10-in. approximately May 1907 Balla ba' I Figli di Ciro Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental ensemble recordist  
(Results 751-775 of 1229 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gaisberg, Frederick William," accessed May 3, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

Gaisberg, Frederick William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

"Gaisberg, Frederick William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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