Despite Pleyel's precautions, his 'Prussian' quartets became his most pirated works, with numerous editions appearing from various publishers within a few years of their initial publication.
Composer Biography
Ignaz Pleyel, the composer, was a highly experienced string quartet composer by the time he finished his 'Prussian' quartets, and was admired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Critical Reception
The Op.1 quartets were so popular that pirated editions quickly appeared, and their rapid adoption by publishers was unusual for 18th-century music publishing.
Composition History
Pleyel dedicated his Op.2 quartets to Joseph Haydn, his teacher, and these works were also quickly published.
Composition History
Pleyel's Op.1 quartets, which Mozart admired, were published in Vienna by Graeffer around late 1783.
Interpretation
The Pleyel Quartett Köln uses historical instruments strung with plain gut strings to achieve a transparent, overtone-rich sound that combines clarity and warm luminosity.
Composition History
Pleyel became his own publisher for future works due to his anger over the blatant theft and corrupt reprints of his earlier quartets, Opp. 3 and 4, which were issued without his involvement.
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