A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Institut, Prix de l'

by Gustave Chouquet

INSTITUT, PRIX DE L', a prize of 20,000 francs founded by Napoleon III. in 1859, in place of the ' Prix triennal ' instituted by the decree of April 1855. By a second decree, of Dec. 22, 1860, it was enacted that from and after 1861 the prize should be biennial, and should be awarded to such work or discovery, of the ten years previous to the award, as should be deemed most honourable or useful to the nation, in the department of each of the five Academies of the Institute successively l'Académie Française, l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles lettres, des Sciences, des Beaux-Arts, des Sciences morales et politiques. The first prize was adjudged to M. Thiers, as the representative of the Académie Française, in 1861. In 1867 the turn of the Académic des Beaux Arts arrived, and the prize was then awarded to Félicien David, the only musician who has obtained it, the award on the second occasion, 1877, having been made to a sculptor—M. Chapu.

[ G. C. ]