Gold Medal
The Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal is the Society's highest honour.
It was initiated in 1870 to commemorate the Centenary of Beethoven's birth. The medal bears the effigy of Beethoven, and has become one of the most privileged honours in the world of music.
It is awarded for the most outstanding musicianship. Fewer than 100 medals have been presented in the intervening years.
Current Gold Medal recipients include: Claudio Abbado, Janet Baker, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Alfred Brendel, Elliott Carter, Colin Davis, Placido Domingo, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Henri Dutilleux, Bernard Haitink, Thomas Quasthoff, Simon Rattle and Joan Sutherland.