It was not until the 1870s, when he was already in his 50s, that he started to become really well known. Some famous conductors such as Pasdeloup, Lamoureux and Colonne and the violinist Sarasate took an interest in his orchestral works and performed them. He wrote a violin concerto and a work called "Symphonie espagnole" ("Spanish Symphony") which was also for solo violin and orchestra. Sarasate played both these works. He wrote a cello concerto in 1877.