The New International Encyclopædia/Kéler-Béla

KÉLER-BÉLA, kā'lẽr-bālȧ (1820-82). An Austrian violinist and composer. He was born at Bartfeld in Hungary, and was a pupil of Sechter at Vienna, where he was at the same time a member of the orchestra of the Theater an der Wien. In 1854 he was appointed leader of Gungl's celebrated band at Berlin, and the next year succeeded Lanner at Vienna. From 1856 to 1863 he was Kapellmeister of an infantry regiment in the Vienna garrison. He moved to Wiesbaden in 1867, where he was the conductor of the Kur Orchestra, which post he resigned because of ill health in 1873. He composed much popular dance music, violin solos, and orchestral music generally. His overtures and compositions for small orchestra are still popular in the United States and England.