Sara Deborah, baroque violin
Carina Drury, baroque cello
Masumi Yamamoto, harpsichord

The Art of Domestic Music: From Gainsborough's Salon 
Painter Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) was a keen amateur musician, and his household was known for hosting musical gatherings. Gainsborough himself played the viola da gamba, while his daughters played instruments such as the harpsichord and theorbo. He painted several musicians, including Johann Sebastian Bach's son, Johann Christian (1735-1782), and another German composer, Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787), as well as Felice Giardini (1716-1796), an Italian composer, all of whom worked in London. This program features music specifically designed for home performance, precisely the kind of music that would have been played in the Gainsborough household and includes a couple of hitherto unknown harpsichord trios by Valentino Nicolai.

Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)
Sonata for the Harpsichord with Accompaniments for a Violin and Violoncello
Op.2 No.5 in A Major 
Vivace – Tempo di Menuetto

Felice Giardini (1716-1796)
Sonata for Harpsichord and Violin Op. 3 No. 6 in D Major
Allegro – Minuetto

Valentino Nicolai (fl.1775-1798) 
Trios for the Harpsichord with Accompaniments for a Violin and Bass Obbligato 
No. V in C Major
Allegro Moderato – Andante – Menuetto & Trio

Felice Giardini 
Duo pour violon et violoncelle 
II: Adagio III: Allegro assai

Valentino Nicolai
Trios for the Harpsichord with Accompaniments for a Violin and Bass Obbligato 
No. II in F Major
Moderato – Adagio – Menuetto & Trio

Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787)
Sonata for the Harpsichord with Accompaniments for a Violin and Violoncello
No. III in D Major
Un poco Vivace – Giga

The London Obbligato Collective is a period-instrument chamber ensemble founded by London-based harpsichordist Masumi Yamamoto in October 2023. Specialising in a unique genre, the ensemble features compositions with fully-written-out harpsichord parts from an era when the instrument typically played the continuo role.
Unlike the common eighteenth-century practice of using figured bass notation, this repertoire provides the harpsichord with a fully-notated part, allowing it to take centre-stage. The compositions enhance the harpsichord's rich tones and nuances, beautifully complemented by the accompanying instruments.

During the 2023-2024 season, the ensemble performed at prestigious venues including the National Gallery, the Horniman Museum, Handel & Hendrix in London, and the National Centre for Early Music in York.

The ensemble's musicians regularly perform with renowned period-instrument groups such as the Gabrieli Consort & Players, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The English Concert, and the Academy of Ancient Music. The London Obbligato Collective ranges in size from 2 to 4 musicians, offering flexible instrumentation to suit their diverse repertoire.