Austria has released a new gold coin, with a value of 100 Euros, that commemorates the founding of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
According to the Austrian Mint, the coin commemorates the “golden heritage of more than a century of Viennese musical history.”
The front face of the coin features a female violinist, and in the background, there is an ornamental band in a delicate modernist floral pattern. In front of the violinist’s shoulder is a lyre, which symbolises inspiration and creativity.
The back face of the coin depicts Euterpe, the muse of music in Greek mythology, who symbolizes the beauty and power of music. She is playing her flute, and is surrounded by the Viennese horn, harp, and cello. The motif is complemented by Art Nouveau ornamentations.
Founded in 1900 as the Vienna Concert–Verein, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra is known to be closely entwined with Viennese cultural identity. The group made its first appearance under Ferdinand Löwe in the Great Hall of the Vienna Musikverein on 30 October 1900.
The orchestra played the first full cycle of the Beethoven symphonies in Vienna, and also gave the premiere performances of major works by Bruckner, Schoenberg, and Ravel. It has also been led by some of the twentieth century’s foremost conductors, including Karajan, Sawallisch, and Prêtre.
