Among over 200 compositions by the Austrian-French pianist Henri (Heinrich) Herz there are eight piano concertos and numerous solo works such as a sonata, rondos, nocturnes, waltzes, marches, fantasias and variations. Robert Schumann regarded the music of his very successful colleague as shallow: ‘if anybody, apart from [Moritz Gottlieb] Saphir, was sincere with the people, it was Henri Herz, our compatriot. What does he want other than to entertain and so become rich?’ The attractive Variations...