Pleyel, Ignaz Joseph (1757-1831)

Austrian pianist, piano maker, and composer. After travelling widely as a conductor and kapellmeister (court music director), and composing a large number of popular pieces, he settled in Paris as a music publisher and in 1807 opened a piano factory. His son, Camille Pleyel (1788-1855), succeeded him in the family business.

He studied with Johann Baptist Vanhal and Joseph Haydn, and in 1777 became kapellmeister to Count Erdödy, who gave him leave for further study in Rome. In 1783, he moved to Strasbourg as vice-kapellmeister, succeeding Franz Xaver Richter as kapellmeister in 1789. Three years later he visited London as conductor of a rival series of concerts to those given by Johann Peter Salomon and Haydn. He settled in Paris in 1795, and in 1807 founded his piano factory.

Works Opera Die Fee Urgele (produced at Eszterháza, 1776) and Ifigenia en Aulide (produced at Naples, 1785).

Orchestral and ensemble 29 symphonies, 5 sinfonie concertanti, concertos; 45 string quartets, and much other chamber music.