Béla Kéler and Empress Sisi

Few composers from the territory of present-day Slovakia came as close to the Imperial Court during their lifetime as Bardejov's most famous native, Béla Kéler. His name appears in two extraordinary musical albums dedicated to Empress Elisabeth of Austria, widely known as Sisi. In these rare collections, Kéler's name stands alongside those of the most prominent European composers of his era.

A Wedding Gift from Vienna (1854)

On the occasion of her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1854, Empress Elisabeth was presented with a monumental Album des Musikvereins, an Album of Musical Art compiled by the Society of Friends of Music (Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde) in Vienna. Housed in a richly decorated wooden chest bound in leather, the album represented a symbolic tribute from Vienna's musical world to the young empress.

Among its 91 manuscripts by 88 selected authors is Kéler's song Oh, Dearest, to Be with You (Ach Liebste, wenn ich bei Dir bin), Op. 103. The album was intended for the musically accomplished young empress. However, there is currently no evidence to confirm whether Elisabeth personally performed Kéler's song or otherwise became acquainted with it.

Today, this exceptional album is among the treasures of the Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) in Vienna, where it is preserved and available for on-site research.

The Coronation Gift (1867) – A Lost Treasure

An equally remarkable connection to the Hungarian royal court is documented by a second music album titled "For Queen Elisabeth" (Erzsébet Királynénak). It was created by Hungarian artists on the occasion of Empress Elisabeth's coronation as Queen of Hungary in 1867.

Bound in luxurious blue silk velvet, the album contained Kéler's composition Werbőczy Csárdás, Op. 46.

The album was listed among approximately one hundred of the most valuable items in Empress Elisabeth's private library. Following her tragic death, however, it was sold together with other personal possessions, and its whereabouts have remained unknown ever since.

The last known trace of the album dates from 1935, when it appeared in an auction catalogue issued by the London antiquarian bookseller Maggs Bros. The catalogue is now preserved in the Museum of the Royal Palace of Gödöllő (Gödöllői Királyi Kastély) in Hungary.

Both the album itself and Kéler's original manuscript of the Werbőczy Csárdás remain missing. They may still survive in a private collection, but their present whereabouts are unknown.