Keller, Hans (1919–1985)

Austrian-born British journalist and critic. In 1959 he joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London. He had much influence on broadcasting policy, and in his programmes of functional analysis he sought to elucidate structure and ideas by musical example, rather than verbal explanation.

After studying in Vienna he fled to England in 1938; he played the violin and viola in various ensembles before joining the BBC. An apparent mastery of his adopted language led to a prolific career as a journalist. He wrote the libretto for Benjamin Frankel's opera Marching Song (BBC, 1983) and published The Great Haydn Quartets (1986).