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 151-175 of 1229 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Gramophone 855c 12-in. Nov. 1906 Uniti in vita e in morte Luigi Colazza ; Renzo Minolfi Vocal duet (tenor and baritone), with vocal chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 855a 7-in. July 1900 Di quella pira Carlo Caffetto Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 856a 7-in. July 1900 Morir, si pura e bella Carlo Caffetto Tenor vocal solo recordist  
Gramophone 866c 12-in. 11/12/1906 Bella Italia Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 872a 7-in. July 1900 Tombe degli avi miei Carlo Caffetto Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 873a 7-in. July 1900 Spirto gentil Carlo Caffetto Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 876c 12-in. approximately Nov. 1906 Da quel dì che t'ho veduta Mattia Battistini ; Emilia Corsi Vocal duet (soprano, and baritone), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 877c 12-in. approximately Nov. 1906 Alla vita che t'arride Mattia Battistini ; Carlo Sabajno Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 879c 12-in. Nov. 1906 Lo vedremo, o veglia audace Mattia Battistini ; Aristodemo Sillich Vocal duet (baritone, and bass), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 879a 7-in. July 1900 Tra voi belle brune Carlo Caffetto Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 880c 12-in. ca. Nov. 1906 Vieni meco sol di rose Mattia Battistini ; Emilia Corsi Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with vocal chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 882c 12-in. approximately Nov. 1906 Là ci darem là mano Mattia Battistini ; Emilia Corsi Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 883c 12-in. Nov. 1906 Il mio Lionel Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 884c 12-in. ca. Nov. 1906 A tanto amor Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 885c 12-in. approximately Nov. 1906 O Lisbona Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 886c 12-in. approximately Nov. 1906 Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima? Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 888c 12-in. approximately Nov. 1906 Su queste rose Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 889c 12-in. approximately November 1906 Perchè tremar? Mattia Battistini Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone HO 892b 10-in. 3/5/1914 La furlana italiana Orchestra Peerless Band recordist  
Gramophone HO 895b 10-in. 3/5/1914 La vrai furlana Orchestra Peerless Orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 901½c 12-in. ca. 1906 Ve' se di notte, qui con la sposa Francesco Cigada ; Ida Giacomelli ; Aristodemo Sillich Vocal trio (soprano, baritone, and bass), with chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 907c 12-in. approximately 1906 Tempesta Linda Brambilla ; Maria Cappiello ; Aristodemo Sillich Vocal trio (2 mezzo-sopranos and bass), with chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 908½c 12-in. approximately 1906 O signor che dal tetto natio Teatro alla Scala Coro Vocal chorus, with orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 910c 12-in. approximately 1906 Ch'io le parli Francesco Cigada ; Aristodemo Sillich Vocal duet (baritone and bass), with chorus and orchestra recordist  
Gramophone 912c 12-in. ca. 1906 Brahma, gran Dio Linda Brambilla Soprano vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra recordist  
(Results 151-175 of 1229 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gaisberg, Frederick William," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

Gaisberg, Frederick William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116625.

"Gaisberg, Frederick William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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