June 18, 2008
Gratuitous Musickal Geekery Posting
Today is the anniversary of the birth, in 1757, of Ignaz Joseph Pleyel. Although virtually unknown now, Pleyel was an extremely popular composer in his own day. Indeed, I believe that Mozart himself refered to Pleyel in one of his letters as his generation's Haydn, which from Mozart was just about the highest musickal compliment imaginable. (Pleyel was, in fact, a student of Haydn's as well.)
Posted by Robert at June 18, 2008 11:09 AM | TrackBackComments
He's not completely forgotten: Pleyel was also the founder of the piano manufacturers Pleyel et Cie, whose instruments Chopin preferred as did Alfred Cortot and Wanda Landowska a century later. They're still very much in business.
Posted by: The Bovina Bloviator at June 18, 2008 02:34 PM
Image courtesy of the lovely and talented 