César Franck
Franck was becoming known as a teacher of organ and composition.  His group of pupils became known as the bande à Franck (the Franck band).  They included Henri Duparc, who introduced him to Alexis de Castillon.  Franck became organ professor at the Paris Conservatoire.  The students he taught included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, and Louis Vierne. His organ works, especially the Grande Pièce Symphonique, were some of the best organ pieces to come from France (or anywhere else) in over a century.  They helped to prepare for the French symphonic organ style, which was to include many famous composers from the late 19th century onwards: people such as Vierne, Charles-Marie Widor and Marcel Dupré.