Historical and Commemorative Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss

KING LEOPOLD II: FIRST ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN BRUSSELS

GEERTS, Edouard Louis / GEEFS, Alexandre Georges: Belgium, 1869, Bronze, 63 mm
Obv: Bust of Leopold II (left) LEOPOLD II, ROI DES BELGES.
Rev: Belgium holding a scepter between Victory and the City of Brussels. Victory holds a tablet inscribed: 1ER FESTIVAL ANNUEL A BRUXELLES 28 SEPT. 1869. The City of Brussels holds a scroll inscribed: FESTIVAL ANNUEL DE MUSIQUE CLASSIQUE DÉCRÉTÉ EN 1868. (Annual Festival of Classical Music Enacted in 1868.)
Signed: On obverse: ED. GEERTS. FEC. ALEX. GEEFS. SCULP. On reverse: ALEX. GEEFS. FEC.
Ref: Med. Hist. Belg. 24/15;  Weiss BW672

With the intention of constituting a federation of the musical societies of Belgium, the government provided a budget to help organize a great annual festival of classical music. This medal was issued to commemorate the first of these events and was given to all the performers, chorus singers and instrumentalists.

See also ACCESSION OF LEOPOLD II, KING OF BELGIUM.

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