Impressions of Debussy: Iconic Préludes & The Clarinet Rhapsody
About this Event
Celebrated British pianist Professor Julian Jacobson opens the afternoon with a masterfully curated selection of Debussy’s landmark Préludes (Books I & II). This performance balances beloved, cinematic melodies like The Sunken Cathedral and The Girl with the Flaxen Hair with some of the composer's most formidable technical hurdles. Audiences will witness a stunning demonstration of virtuosic mastery through the ferocious storm of What the West Wind Has Seen, the rapid-fire mechanical precision of Alternating Thirds, and the explosive brilliance of Fireworks.
For the grand finale, the texture shifts beautifully to welcome acclaimed woodwind soloist Piotr Dec to the stage. Together, they will perform Debussy’s fluid and dreamlike Première Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Piano, L. 116, bringing this hour of exceptional French impressionism to an elegant, colorful conclusion.
PROGRAMME:
- Book I, No. 2: Voiles
- Book I, No. 5: Les collines d'Anacapri
- Book I, No. 7: Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest
- Book I, No. 8: La fille aux cheveux de lin
- Book I, No. 10: La cathédrale engloutie
- Book I, No. 12: Minstrels
- Book II, No. 6: Général Lavine – eccentric
- Book II, No. 11: Les tierces alternées
- Book II, No. 12: Feux d'artifice
- Première Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Piano, L. 116
*Programme subject to change
🎹 Meet the Artists
Professor Julian Jacobson | Piano
Julian Jacobson is one of the UK’s most distinguished and versatile pianists, conductors, and educators. A graduate of the Royal College of Music, he studied under John Barstow and Louis Kentner, subsequently establishing himself as a formidable interpreter of both classical masterworks and contemporary repertoire.
Professor Jacobson has performed as a soloist with major international ensembles, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and is a frequent guest at prestigious global venues such as London's Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall. Widely acclaimed for his monumental artistic endurance—most notably performing all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas in a single day—he brings a profound narrative depth and tonal nuance to the French impressionist repertoire. He currently serves as a Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Piotr Dec | Clarinet
Regarded as one of the most compelling clarinettists of his generation, Piotr Dec pursues a prominent international career as both a soloist and chamber musician. A prize-winner of the Yamaha Music for Europe and London Woodwind competitions, his career has taken him to prestigious global stages, including solo recitals at the Palace of Versailles and concerto debuts at the Bahrain National Music Festival.
An alumnus of both the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, Piotr also serves as the Executive and Artistic Director of the International Chamber Music Festival in Szczawno-Zdrój, Poland. His upcoming season features high-profile appearances across Vienna, Paris, London, and Warsaw, alongside a major orchestral tour of China.
Opus One Music
W: www.opusone.studio
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 5.00 to GBP 15.00
