Wednesday 4 February 2026 7:30pm

Weber – Clarinet quintet in B flat major, op 34

Shostakovich – String quartet no 4 in D major, op 83

Mozart – Clarinet quintet in A major, K581

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the death of Carl Maria von Weber, Julian Bliss and the Carducci Quartet return to Ilkley to play together his sparkling and virtuosic Clarinet quintet. This is music which is not simply for show but revels in the new possibilities that had opened up in the improved clarinets of the early 19th century. In his quintet, Mozart too was writing for a clarinet with extended range which had been developed by his friend, Anton Stadler, whose playing was said to imitate the human voice. Julian Bliss, one of the finest clarinetists of his day, will excel in these staples of the repertoire.

The Carducci, well known for their championing of Shostakovich’s quartets, will add his fourth quartet with its folk-like themes into the rich mixture of this celebratory concert.