Frank Peterson
Encyclopedia
Frank Peterson is a German music producer known for his work with Enigma
and artists such as Sarah Brightman
, Ofra Haza
, Gregorian, Princessa
and Andrea Bocelli
on his first international album Romanza in 1997.
Peterson was born on December 20, 1963, in Hamburg
. As a child he taught himself to play the piano and keyboard, going on to work in a music store. It was here that he met Michael Cretu
and became lead keyboardist for Sandra, appearing prominently on her hit single Maria Magdalena.
He was a member of Sandra's band for a few more years, then moved with the Cretus to Ibiza
. While there he became involved with Cretu's new project, Enigma
, under the pseudonym of F. Gregorian. Peterson contributed to their first album, MCMXC a.D.
, writing several tracks.
Peterson left the group in 1991 and pursued work on Gregorian, a musical project co-founded by Thomas Schwarz and Matthias Meissner. The female vocals for this album were provided by The Sisters of Oz - a duo composed of Birgit Freud and Susana Espelleta, who was married to Peterson at the time. Soon after, he met English soprano
Sarah Brightman
and collaborated with her on all her solo albums since Dive.
Gregorian was re-invented later on in his career as a group performing chant arrangements of popular songs. Peterson's inspiration, as he stated in an interview, was the approaching new millennium
and its spiritual aspect.
In 1997, Peterson collaborated with Israeli singer Ofra Haza
, producing her last album Ofra Haza
. This album was very successful in Europe and the United States.
Other artists whom Peterson has worked with include Princessa
, Carolin Fortenbacher
, Violet, and Sinsual (the last two of which have CDs in the works).
In the Billboard interview Jens Schippmann, senior partner of the law firm Kamin & Wilke representing Peterson claimed the lawsuit has been necessary because Peterson never granted any synchronization rights and adaptation rights to GEMA as part of his membership agreement: "The German legal situation is different to the Anglo-American copyright law because in Germany the copyright itself will always remain with the author and exploitation rights granted do not exclude the author from any decision regarding synchronization and adaptation because of the author's moral right," says Schippmann. "My client did not assign any synchronization or adaptation rights to Google/YouTube and is therefore entitled to demand [they] cease and desist such usage [and] negotiate about demanding appropriate remuneration."
Lutz Melzer, junior partner at the firm: "The lawsuit includes our demand for injunction, for information and accounting about the figures of the usage and the turnover, especially from advertising. In addition we demand for a court decision that any damages incurred by such exploitation have to be reimbursed by Google/YouTube. So far we cannot exactly compute the amount of such damages without additional information from YouTube but it seems that the damages will exceed a few million [U.S.] dollars solely in the Peterson case."
Enigma (musical project)
Enigma is an electronic musical project founded in Germany by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. The Romanian-born Cretu conceived the Enigma project while working in Germany, but has based his recording studio A.R.T. Studios in Ibiza, Spain, since the early 1990s until May...
and artists such as Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
, Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer of Yemeni origin, an actress and international recording artist....
, Gregorian, Princessa
Princessa
Princessa, born Mónica Capel Cruz, is a Spanish pop/dance singer. Born on 18 May 1975, she first became known for her participation in "World On Ice" in Madrid and in Spain's Gran Circo Mundial. She was discovered by producer Frank Peterson at age 16 and a few years later recorded her first album...
and Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
on his first international album Romanza in 1997.
Peterson was born on December 20, 1963, in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. As a child he taught himself to play the piano and keyboard, going on to work in a music store. It was here that he met Michael Cretu
Michael Cretu
Michael Cretu is a Romanian musician. He is known also as Curly, MC or Curly M.C. because of his fair curled hair . His peak musical activity was with the Enigma project, which was mainly based in Germany....
and became lead keyboardist for Sandra, appearing prominently on her hit single Maria Magdalena.
He was a member of Sandra's band for a few more years, then moved with the Cretus to Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
. While there he became involved with Cretu's new project, Enigma
Enigma (musical project)
Enigma is an electronic musical project founded in Germany by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. The Romanian-born Cretu conceived the Enigma project while working in Germany, but has based his recording studio A.R.T. Studios in Ibiza, Spain, since the early 1990s until May...
, under the pseudonym of F. Gregorian. Peterson contributed to their first album, MCMXC a.D.
MCMXC a.D.
MCMXC a.D. is a concept album created by the musical project Enigma, spearheaded by Michael Cretu. Released at the end of 1990, it was Enigma's debut album...
, writing several tracks.
Peterson left the group in 1991 and pursued work on Gregorian, a musical project co-founded by Thomas Schwarz and Matthias Meissner. The female vocals for this album were provided by The Sisters of Oz - a duo composed of Birgit Freud and Susana Espelleta, who was married to Peterson at the time. Soon after, he met English soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
and collaborated with her on all her solo albums since Dive.
Gregorian was re-invented later on in his career as a group performing chant arrangements of popular songs. Peterson's inspiration, as he stated in an interview, was the approaching new millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
and its spiritual aspect.
In 1997, Peterson collaborated with Israeli singer Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer of Yemeni origin, an actress and international recording artist....
, producing her last album Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza (album)
Ofra Haza is the eponymous 1997 album by Israeli singer Ofra Haza. The album was produced by Frank Peterson , recorded both in Hamburg as well as at legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, and includes the single release "Show Me", an updated version of "Im Nin' Alu", songs co-written by Peterson,...
. This album was very successful in Europe and the United States.
Other artists whom Peterson has worked with include Princessa
Princessa
Princessa, born Mónica Capel Cruz, is a Spanish pop/dance singer. Born on 18 May 1975, she first became known for her participation in "World On Ice" in Madrid and in Spain's Gran Circo Mundial. She was discovered by producer Frank Peterson at age 16 and a few years later recorded her first album...
, Carolin Fortenbacher
Carolin Fortenbacher
Carolin Fortenbacher is a German Musical actress and singer. She has had a leading role for five years in the musical Mamma Mia! in Hamburg.- Training :...
, Violet, and Sinsual (the last two of which have CDs in the works).
Lawsuit against Google/Youtube
On April 16, 2009 Billboard reported that Peterson has filed a lawsuit at the Higher District Court in Hamburg against Google/YouTube, claiming that his music videos and other audiovisual repertoire were used illegally. In his lawsuit Petersen claims infringement of his copyrights and master rights. He states that more than 125 million streams of his productions - of which he owns the copyrights and master rights as author, publisher and producer - have been viewed, for which he never received payment from Google/YouTube.In the Billboard interview Jens Schippmann, senior partner of the law firm Kamin & Wilke representing Peterson claimed the lawsuit has been necessary because Peterson never granted any synchronization rights and adaptation rights to GEMA as part of his membership agreement: "The German legal situation is different to the Anglo-American copyright law because in Germany the copyright itself will always remain with the author and exploitation rights granted do not exclude the author from any decision regarding synchronization and adaptation because of the author's moral right," says Schippmann. "My client did not assign any synchronization or adaptation rights to Google/YouTube and is therefore entitled to demand [they] cease and desist such usage [and] negotiate about demanding appropriate remuneration."
Lutz Melzer, junior partner at the firm: "The lawsuit includes our demand for injunction, for information and accounting about the figures of the usage and the turnover, especially from advertising. In addition we demand for a court decision that any damages incurred by such exploitation have to be reimbursed by Google/YouTube. So far we cannot exactly compute the amount of such damages without additional information from YouTube but it seems that the damages will exceed a few million [U.S.] dollars solely in the Peterson case."