Ignaz Pleyel was born on June 18, 1757, in Ruppersthal, Lower Austria. He quickly became a recognized musician, of whom Mozart said: He is a joy for music. In 1797, he opened a publishing house in Paris and began manufacturing his own pianos in 1807 with the help of his son. Together, they invented the principle linking each string to a specific note in 1825. Two years later, they obtained a gold medal for the innovations made and the unique sound of their pianos. One of Pleyel's first pianos is exhibited at the Villa du Temps Retrouvé (Villa of Recovered Times) in Cabourg.