He came from Pusztamonostor, a village in Northern Hungary, but studied music in Budapest (1875-9). From 1879 until his death he worked in Kolozsvar in Eastern Hungary (Transylvania), now known as Cluj in Rumania. He was director of the Music Academy there and also active as an operetta composer and conductor. His son Janos (1869-98) was a promising violinist who died age 29.
