In the Light of the Candle (Quartet)

This concert by the London Obbligato Collective offers a musical response to 'Joseph Wright of Derby: From the Shadows', exploring the same themes of mortality, reflection, and curiosity that glow through Wright’s iconic night scenes.

Performed by flute, cello, soprano, and harpsichord, the programme features music by composers from Wright’s world – including William Herschel, Edward Miller, and Thomas Linley the Elder – as well as Handel’s evocative cantata 'Pensieri notturni di Filli'. Together, these works illuminate the emotional and philosophical shadows of Wright’s candlelit vision.

Just as Wright used flickering light and deep shadow to explore themes of mortality, melancholy, moral inquiry, and human fragility, this concert offers a sonic response to his world – shaped by the cultural, intellectual, and musical circles of Enlightenment Britain.

Among the composers featured is William Herschel, astronomer, composer, and one of Wright’s most celebrated portrait subjects, whose music reflects both the refinement…