Ignaz Joseph Pleyel – Composer, Publisher and Piano Manufacturer

The famous “Salle Pleyel” concert hall and the pianos from the firm of Pleyel, which are spoken of in the same breath as those from the houses of Bösendorfer or Steinway, are not only household names among music lovers, but above all among pianists. Frédéric Chopin appreciated the soft tone of the instrument and possessed a large grand piano from the Pleyel works. He gave his Paris début at the “Salon Pleyel” and his last concert in Paris at the “Salle Pleyel”, which was held in high regard for its unsurpassable acoustics. Only in the last ten years has interest in the long-neglected composer been reawakened in circles of musical research. Noticeably and happily his works are also being recorded and performed in concert.

Ignaz Joseph Pleyel was born on 18 June 1757 in Ruppersthal near Großweikersdorf. At an early age he received tuition in music from his father, an organist and teacher. After his gift became apparent he was sent to Vienna where until the age of 15 he received tuition from the Czech composer and violinist Joseph Baptist Vanhal. He found a patron and mentor in Count Ladislaus Erdödy, who sent the young man from Lower Austria to Eisenstadt and no less than Joseph Haydn.

Pleyel's period of studies corresponded with the decisive years of Haydn's own musical development. Faced with increasingly numerous commissioned works, Haydn began to pass on several of them to his especially talented pupils, among whom was Pleyel. It can therefore be assumed that several works by Haydn are from the pen of the young Pleyel.

Erdödy also supported Pleyel in his artistic travels to Italy, which were important for his artistic progress, where he became acquainted with and befriended famous musicians, among whom were Giovanni Paisiello, Domenico Cimarosa and Pietro Nardini, a Tartini pupil.

Following these years of study and travels in Italy, the call to assume the post of choirmaster at Strasbourg Cathedral came in 1783, which was only made official after the death of his predecessor Franz Xaver Richter in 1789. Under Pleyel's direction, the cathedral developed into an important centre of music. His appointment made Pleyel mainly responsible for writing sacred music, he found time, however, to compose chamber music and compositions in symphonic instrumentation. The Strasbourg period can be described as his most fruitful. Most of his works, as are those recorded on this CD, were composed in the years from 1787 to 1795. His works, which were so marked by esprit, were extremely popular and widely distributed. His reputation, however, was not just a local phenomenon, but also reached the rest of France and on to England and Holland. The editions of his works finally reached the whole of Europe and even North America.

In 1788 Pleyel married the daughter of a carpet manufacturer, Franziska Lefevre. Of the four children, only Camille survived.

When the cathedral choir was disbanded in 1791, Pleyel moved with his family to London, where he was invited to conduct the famous “Concerts professionels”. Following his return to Strasbourg, he settled in Paris where he made a name as a publisher. Especially noteworthy is the publication of scores in a small format, to a certain extent the forerunners of pocket scores. This series began in 1802 with four Haydn symphonies and his string quartets. The founding of the “Maison Pleyel” piano firm took place five years later. His son joined the firm and enjoyed great success; the well-known composer and pianist Friedrich Kalkbrenner also joined later.

Pleyel limited his composing activities to a great extent in his last years and dedicated himself to the publishing house. He died on the 14th November, 1831.

In Pleyel's works are to be found, among others, two operas ( Die Fee Urgele, Iphigenie in Aulis ), symphonies and, above all, comprehensive chamber music works, including 48 piano trios.

Dr. Elena Ostleitner, Wien