Henri Herz was an Austrian-born virtuoso pianist, composer and piano manufacturer. Born in 1803 in Vienna, he entered the Conservatoire de Paris in 1816 and studied under Louis-Barthélémy Pradher and Anton Reicha. He won first prize in piano at the institution in 1818. Herz achieved international acclaim during concert tours of Europe and the United States between 1846 and 1850. His compositions included eight piano concertos and numerous variations, rondos and nocturnes. In 1839, he established a piano factory that became one of the most significant in France. His company was awarded the Médaille d’honneur at the 1855 Paris World's Fair. Herz also patented the dactylion, a mechanical device designed to strengthen the fingers of pianists. He served as a professor at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1842 to 1874. Herz died in 1888.
