 Varney composed a well-known "Chant des Girondins", written for the play "Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge" by Alexandre Dumas.He also composed the music for a drame-lyrique by Alexandre Dumas, fils in 1848 entitled "Atala".His opéra comique "La ferme de Kilmoor" (first performance 27 October 1852 at the Théâtre-Lyrique) was savaged by the critics.