German composer, conductor, music educator and critic. From 1893 he studied theory, composition, piano and organ at the Leipzig Conservatory under Hermann Kretschmar and received his doctorate there in 1896. He gained conducting experience back in 1897 as a choir director of the Riedel Society in Leipzig. In 1903 he became the court conductor of the Altenburg Landesteatre. From 1907 to 1909 he was the court music director of the Grand Duke of Baden's Court Orchestra in Karlsruhe. From 1913 to 1915 he was director of the New Opera of Hamburg and the Hamburg Pedagogical Choir. There he staged, among other things, Verdi's opera The Power of Fate. In 1915 he succeeded Wilhelm Furtwengler as conductor of the orchestra of the Association of Friends of Music in Lubeck. In 1922 he returned to the Altenburg Landesteatre as Kapellmeister and in 1925 was appointed general music director there. Geler left behind an extensive work, including more than 200 songs in the traditional style. He wrote simple songs in verse, as well as romantic miniatures and quite decorated author's songs. He also created five symphonies, concertos for piano, violin and cello, opera and many works of chamber music. He was an opponent of any modern music that went beyond the classical and romantic tradition, which eventually led to the fact that his numerous compositions are almost forgotten today, despite all the subtleties of compositional technique.
