Ignaz Pleyel String Quintet in g minor, B.272

Pleyel's String Quintet is the second of a set of three quintets dating from 1785, while Pleyel was living in Strassbourg. His main teacher Haydn never composed a string quintet and Pleyel's might well be considered the sort of work Haydn would have produced had he chosen to write one. In three movements rather than four, the Quintet opens with a Moderato, which begins hesitatingly before the pulsing main subject is presented, which followed by a more lyrical melody. The middle movement, Andate grazioso, has a charming folk like melody. The finale, Presto, in 6/8 is bursting with excitement and forward motion. No less than eleven publishing houses contracted to bring out editions of this work when it was composed. It is interesting to note how once honored and popular composers sometimes all but entirely vanish. The leading critic of the time F.J. Fetis writing of Pleyel noted:

"No composer ever created more of a craze than Pleyel. He enjoyed a universal reputation and dominated the field of instrumental music for more than twenty years. There was no amateur or professional musician who did not delight in his genius."

Ignaz Pleyel (1757-1831) was born in the Austrian town of Ruppersthal. He began is studies with Jan Baptist Vanhal and then with Haydn, who, along with Mozart, considered Pleyel extraordinarily talented. Mozart is said to have called Pleyel the "next Haydn" and Haydn saw to it that his star pupil's works, primarily chamber music, were published. Pleyel's reputation quickly spread and he obtained the position of Kapellmeister (Music Director) at one of Hungary's leading courts. Later he moved to Strasbourg where he worked with Franz Xaver Richter and settled there. During the French Revolution, he moved to London but later returned to France and became a French citizen. In 1795, he founded a publishing firm which bore his name. It became one of the most important in France, publishing the works of Beethoven, Hummel, Boccherini, Onslow, Clementi, Dussek and many others. In addition he founded a famous piano manufacturing company which also bears his name. Pleyel and his music were quite famous during his lifetime. In England, for a time, his music was more popular than that of Haydn.

Here is a work, which is not only historically important, but also original enough to justify concert performance. Long out of print, we are very pleased to make it available again but in a modern edition.

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