He was a worldly man with a great array of social and cultural relations and was known as an ingenious cellist for his manner of interpreting music and for his work as a chamber musician and teacher.

His dedication to teaching in the National School of Music, later known as the Madrid Royal Conservatory, was important in fostering the next generation of innovators in cello techniques.

Impressed by these masters' performance and ability to interpret, the young Víctor, along with his brother Maurice, dedicated themselves to the cello for the next two years, under the supervision of their father.

Víctor's natural talent was outstanding, and in March 1864, at 17 years of age, he played as a soloist in a public concert at the Bordeaux Conservatory in the presence of Servais.

With the help of his father and of his master, he also worked diligently in the orchestras of various Parisian theaters, meeting the great composers and musicians of the era who visited Paris; he developed an intimate friendship with Pablo de Sarasate, Édouard Lalo, Camille Saint-Saëns and Jules Massenet.