Ignaz Josef Pleyel (18/06/1757 - 14/11/1831), an Austrian composer. He was born in Ruppersthal, near Vienna. In 1772 he was accepted as pupil by Josef Haydn in Eisenstadt. Here he studied for some years and then became kapellmeister for his patron Count Erdödy. In the early eighties he travelled in Italy and after quite some succes there, he became assistant to Franz Xaver Richter, Kapellmeister of Strassbourg Cathedral. This happened in the mid-eighties. In the season 1791-2 he conducted the London Professional Concerts, making quite a sum of money.
Most of Pleyels output dates from the period 1785-95. Around 1795, Pleyel moved to Paris, where he founded Maison Pleyel, a music publishing firm. And from this point on his musical output decreased dramatically. In 1807, he extended his business to include pianomanufacturing. His pianos very famous all over Europe and 'Salle Pleyel' amont the most important places for artists to perform.
Pleyel died in Paris on November 14th 1831, aged 74. In his later years he spent most of his time on his farm in the outskirts of Paris.
His output comprises 41 symphonies, a requiem, 6 symphonies concertantes, 8 concertos, a lange amount of chamber music including: 17 quintets, 70 quartets, 48 trios, and 64 duets. Plus songs, church music and a couple of operas.