Henri Herz

Biography

Henri Herz was born January 6, 1806, in Vienna, and rose to fame as a piano virtuoso before becoming a piano maker, following the earlier example of Clementi, Cramer, Kalkbrenner and Pleyel. He played publicly at Coblenz at age eight, entered the Paris Conservatory at ten, winning its first prize in 1818, and toured France, Germany and England to great acclaim as both performer and composer. Around 1825 he met the piano maker Klepfar and established a piano factory in Paris; the venture struggled at first, prompting Herz to undertake an extensive concert tour of the United States, California, Mexico and the West Indies in 1849-1850 to raise funds. On his return to Paris he focused on improving his instruments and became known among makers for simplifying the Erard grand action into what was widely adopted as the Erard-Herz action. His new factory included a concert hall, the "Salle Herz," which became renowned as a venue for leading pianists. His grand pianos were praised for rich tone, even registers and fine touch, winning top prizes at exhibitions. Herz served as a professor at the Paris Conservatory from 1842 to 1874, was decorated by the King of Belgium, and was appointed purveyor to the Empress of France. He died in Paris on January 5, 1888.

Highlights

• Simplified the Erard grand action into what became known as the Erard-Herz action
• Built the 'Salle Herz' concert hall in Paris
• Toured the United States, California, Mexico and the West Indies as a concert pianist in 1849-1850

Source

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911), p. 259.

Public domain.