gänsbacher was the son of the composer and conductor johann baptist gänsbacher. he studied law at the university of vienna. in 1855 he graduated with a doctorate in law. he took singing lessons from and hollup. from 1863 to 1904 he was active as a singing teacher at the gesellschaft der musikfreunde. at his time he belonged to vienna's most respected stimmbildner. leopold demuth, nikolaus rothmühl and marie wilt were among his pupils.