Last Saturday, our city became the first in Greece to ever hear the 'heavenly voice' (as described by Niccolò Paganini) of the Glass Harmonica, played by its foremost specialist and virtuoso of many other rare instruments, the French musician Thomas Bloch.
The concert started energetically with Eliza Gogou conducting the Thessaloniki State Symphonic Orchestra in von Weber's 'Symphony No. 2.' Then, the soloist entered and performed the necessary ritual of wetting his hands for a few minutes, which amused the audience. Bloch presented perhaps the most interesting work ever written for the glass harmonica, the 'Adagio and Rondo in C minor, K. 617,' accompanied by a chamber orchestra comprising Alexandra Voltsi (viola), Vasilis Saitis (cello), Nikolo Dimopoulos (flute), and Slav Slavtchev (clarinet). This was followed by the overture from 'The Magic Flute.' Bloch then continued with Reichardt's 'Rondo in B-flat major for glass harmonica and strings,' accompanied by the orchestra's strings, and von Weber's 'Adagio and Rondo in F, J.115,' before the concert concluded with the overture from 'Oberon.'
The concert was supported by the French Consulate and the French Institute of Thessaloniki.
