these family connections enabled him to study law before switching to music at the paris conservatoire under ambroise thomas, where he obtained the prestigious prix de rome in 1862 with his cantata "louise de mézières". he served in the franco-prussian war and was wounded during the siege of paris, receiving the medaille militaire for conspicuous bravery. in 1874 he visited greece, where he began studying greek church music and folk music. in 1878 he was appointed professor of music history at the paris conservatoire. among his many pupils were charles koechlin and claude debussy. through music-making and time spent at the villa medici in rome, he became good friends with jules massenet.