Fumet - Life

Life

Born in Toulouse in 1867, son of a very strict watchmaker, Dynam-Victor Fumet began his musical studies at the municipal Conservatory where his exceptional talents were very quickly recognized, and where he received all the possible prizes. At the age of 16, he entered the Paris National Conservatory, where he studied organ with César Franck and composition with Ernest Guiraud. The city of Toulouse voted him a scholarship to finish his studies in Paris, and he was sent off to the capital city accompanied by the municipal band. ..

At first his studies in Paris were pursued with hard work, but once finally freed from his father's stifling education, he soon began to frequent anarchist groups (Louise Michel, Prince Kropotkine, Jean Grave, Charles Malato). He continued none-the-less his musical studies at the conservatory, where his fellow students nicknamed him "Dynam", probably both because of the dynamic way he played and because of the way he lived. At 19 he entered the competition to obtain the "Prix de Rome", was congratulated by Reyer and complimented by Saint-Saens, but did not win the prize, perhaps for political reasons : a morning newspaper had denounced his anarchist tendencies. A stinging failure, and scandal in Toulouse: the city decided to cut off the libertarian's scholarship and his father refused to see him. He still continued his studies at the conservatory, and César Franck, who loved the youngest of his students and knew he was having financial difficulties, managed to have him hired as accompanist on the organ at the Sainte-Clotilde church where he was principal organist.

For a while, Fumet was the orchestra conductor at the "Chat Noir", but he soon quit and left the post to his friend, Erik Satie. It was shortly after this period that he became interested in spiritism and became a well-known medium. After a suicide attempt, from which he miraculously survived, he regained his faith in God, and under the influence of Léon Bloy regained his faith in Christianity. He became interested in the occult sciences and the Christian kabbalists, and began meeting with people like the Duchess of Pommard, Saint-Yves d'Alveydre, Stanislas de Guaita, etc. During this same period of time he met Verlaine, with whom he became close friends since they used the informal "tu" forms between them.

After a turbulent voyage to South America where he was hired as a conductor, he came back to Paris and married into a family close to the founder of the Theosophical Society, Hélène Blavatsky. Named principal organist at the Sainte-Anne-de-la-Maison-Blanche church, he began a discrete career, even though his improvisations attracted large crowds. It was there that he composed a large number of works for the Church, which he premiered on every important holiday ; unfortunately many of these works have been lost.