April 26, 2009. Youtube user hhoorn: "Zingende toren" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McULjYnQ7W0
The Glass Tower in Utrecht!
From the Prague Daily Monitor: "Prague, April 29 (CTK) - Eight tonnes of Czech glass were used to make the monumental Glass Tower, a unique musical instrument decorating a newly built residential area of the Dutch town of Utrecht, Dalibor Kotek, the author of the project, told ČTK Wednesday.
The Glass Tower designed by Dutch glass artist Bernard Heesen is made from metal and glass balls which were produced at the Czech glass works Ajeto in Lindava, north Bohemia, and is allegedly the largest musical instrument in the world.
A total of 800 decorative glass balls that are 40 to 50 cm in diameter and have various shades of cobalt blue and more than 100 bells made from lead crystal glass were used to make the tower.
The glass balls were made by Czech glass artists in Lindava who worked about six months on them. Glass bells were produced in the Royal Leerdam Glass works in the Dutch town of Leerdam.
The balls were fixed in a stainless steel fitting with a special glue. They were installed in the tower construction with the use of a crane and fork-lift platforms.
One ball weighs about ten kilos and the whole metal structure bears the load of 8000 kilos of Czech glass.
According to the authors, the tower is not only a visual but also a unique musical artefact. They say it is the largest musical instrument in the world.
More than one hundred crystal bells of various sizes and tones creating a classic keyboard are fitted in the tower.
The pianist sits directly beneath the tower and the music is transferred from the piano directly to the town with the help of a complex computer and mechanical system.
The project started to be realised in 2006. Its installation was preceded by many tests, including the testing of the materials used in its construction and the development of the keyboard.
The Ajeto glass works specialises in the small-series production of complex and exclusive hand blown arts glass pieces.
Renowned Czech designer and architect Borek Sipek is the company's artistic director. The annual sales of the company employing 55 people is about 45 million crowns."
"Tonnes of Czech glass music heard in Neatherlands." Prague Daily Monitor. May 30, 2009. http://launch.praguemonitor.com/2009/04/30/tonnes-czech-glass-music-heard-netherlands
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