Pleyel et Cie

Chopin's Pleyel piano in Cell No. 4 in Valldemossa Charterhouse in Majorca, one of only two in the world.[1]
Chopin's last piano made by the Pleyel company (no 14810) displayed in the Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw; Chopin played and composed on this instrument in 1848–49

Pleyel et Cie. ("Pleyel and Company") is a French piano manufacturing firm founded by the composer Ignace Pleyel in 1807.[2] In 1815, Pleyel's son Camille joined him as a business partner. The firm provided pianos to Frédéric Chopin,[3] who considered Pleyel pianos to be "non plus ultra".[4] Pleyel et Cie. also operated a concert hall, the Salle Pleyel, where Chopin performed his first – and last – Paris concerts. Pleyel's major contribution to piano development was the first use of a metal frame in a piano. Pleyel pianos were the choice of composers such as Chopin, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, de Falla and Stravinsky and of pianists and teachers Alfred Cortot, Philip Manuel and Gavin Williamson.[5] Nineteenth-century musicians involved in the company's management included Joseph O'Kelly and Georges Pfeiffer.

  1. ^ Edmond Leung's piano performance through time.
  2. ^ Benton, Rita (2001). "Pleyel family (i)". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.21940. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  3. ^ Macintyre, Ben (17 March 2007). "Chopin's true sound can be heard at last after discovery of his piano". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 19 March 2007.
  4. ^ Chopin's letters. By Chopin, Frédéric, 1810-1849; Voynich, E. L. (Ethel Lillian), 1864-1960; Opienski, Henryk, 1870-1942
  5. ^ Philip Manuel visited the plant of Pleyel, Wolff et Cie. In: Letters 1–2. 1935, S. 14.