Ignaz Joseph Pleyel

Ignace Joseph Pleyel (June 18, 1757 – November 14, 1831) was an Austrian-born French composer and piano builder of the Classical period. He was born in Ruppersthal in Lower Austria, the son of a schoolmaster named Martin Pleyel. He was the 24th of 38 children in the family. While still young he probably studied with Johann Baptist Vanhal, and from 1772 he became the pupil of Joseph Haydn in Eisenstadt. As with Beethoven, born 13 years later, Pleyel benefited in his study from the sponsorship of aristocracy