Pleyel

Contents

History

Founded 1795 by the composer Ignace Joseph Pleyel (1757-1831) in Paris. In the course of 39 years, the firm issued approximately 4000 works, including notable editions of works by Pleyel's colleagues Boccherini, Beethoven, Clementi, Cramer, Dussek, Haydn, Hummel, and Onslow along with his own works and those of his son Camille Pleyel (1788-1855). In 1801, Pleyel issued the landmark Collection complette des quatuors d’Haydn, consisting of some 80 quartets. Three additional quartets were added in subsequent printings of the collection, as Haydn composed them. Pleyel established relationships with most major publishers in Europe during this period, including the Vienna firms of Artaria and Hoffmeister, Breitkopf und Härtel (Leipzig), Hummel (Amersterdam), and N. Simrock (Bonn). Pleyel was the first publisher to issue miniature scores (the series Bibliotheque Musicale), starting with four symphonies of his former teacher Joseph Haydn in 1802. The series continued with scores of the Haydn quartets and chamber music of Beethoven, Hummel and Onslow.

Engravers employed by Pleyel include Lobry, Petit, Marquerie, Richomme, and Richault. The composers Kalkbrenner, Méhul, Rossini were actually investors in Pleyel's firm, and subscriptions were sold to a significant number of notable musicians of the period (Cherubini, Dussek, Grétry, Kreutzer, Méhul, Salomon, Viotti) along with a number of important names in the Vienna aristocracy. The firm survived its founder's death only 3 years, selling off its entire stock and engraved plates to the Parisian publishers Delloy, Lemoine, Prilipp, Richault and Schlesinger in 1834.

Pleyel et Cie survived as a keyboard instrument manufacturer, however, inventing the first chromatic harp (though not eventually the most-used kind, relatively speaking) late in the 19th century, and still publishing some music for its inhouse instruments.

Imprints, Addresses, Agencies

  • I. Pleyel et fils ainé (from 9 December 1814 until 1827)
  • Pleyel et Cie. (from 1828 until 1834)

Paris

  • rue des Poulies, no. 204 (1795-1796)
  • rue Neuve des Petits-Champs, no. 24 (1796-1798)
  • rue Neuve des Petits Champs, no. 728 (1798-1803)
  • rue Neuve des Petits Champs, no. 1286 (1803- )
  • Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle, No. 8 (1814-1815)

Plate Numbers

Plate Composer Work Year
0001 Pleyel Keyboard Trio in D major, B.461 (parts) 1795
0009 Pleyel 3 Keyboard Trios, B.465-467 (parts) 1796
0121 Pleyel Méthode pour le pianoforte
0146 Boccherini 6 String Quintets, G.307-312 (Op.28) - G.308, 310 (parts) 1798/99
0191 Vanderhagen Nouvelle méthode de flute 1796
0198 Krommer 3 String Quartets, Op.3 (parts) 1796
0261 Boccherini 6 String Quintets, G.307-312 (Op.28) - G.307, 312 (parts) 1800
0360 Méhul Bion 1801
0422 Beethoven Six quatuors, op. 18 1804
0785 Dussek La consolation, Op.62 (first ed.) 1807?
0826 Adam Piano Sonata, Op.9 1809
0829 Dussek Sonatas for Piano Four-Hands, Op.67
0853 Adam, L. Piano Sonata, Op.10 1810
0858 Adam, L. 12 walzes, Op.11 1810
1064 Krommer 3 String Quartets, Op.85 (no.2, parts) 1814
1065 Beethoven Cello Sonata No.3, Op.69
1066 Krommer 3 String Quartets, Op.72 (no.2, parts) 1814
1168 Kalkbrenner Grande fantaisie sur l'air écossais 'Robin Adair', Op.21 1816
1188 Pleyel 3 Piano Trios, Op.1 (parts) 1815/16
1190 Pleyel Un troubadour béarnais, avec variation 1815/16
1260 Pleyel Violin Sonata in A, Op.2 (sc&pt) 1817
1392 Ries Flute Sonata, Op.87 1819
1522 Onslow Cello Sonata, Op.16 No.3 (with viola part) 1820/21
1556 Tulou Fantaisie, Op.29 1821
1639 Pixis Introduction et Rondeau sur un thème de Caraffa, Op.63 1823/24
1682 Pixis Caprice, Op.76 1824
2287 Duchambge Le matelot 1829
2428 Kalkbrenner Romance et Rondo brillant, Op.96 1829
2854 Kalkbrenner Piano Concerto No.3, Op.107 (pts) 1832
2869 Hünten, W. Rondo brillant, Op.30 (on La Straniera) 1832
2888 Duchambge Tristesse 1833

All Plates

Plate #Full PlateComposerWorkIMSLP #Full YearYear

References

  • 1. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Stanley Sadie.
New York and London: Macmillan Publications, 1980.
  • BNF data
  • 2. Anik Devriès and François Lesure, Dictionnaire des éditeurs de musique français, volume 1
Genéve: Éditions Minkoff, 1979, p. 127-130.

Authority control

  • VIAF (Pleyel (Firm))

Links

Further Reading

Complete plate number documentation and dating:

  • Benton, Rita; Halley, Jeanne (1990). Pleyel as music publisher : a documentary sourcebook of early 19th-century music. Stuyvesant, NY: Pendragon Press. ISBN 9780918728616 . OCLC 20014950.