Dreams of Folly

Imagine a melody and bass line so widely known -- so ubiquitous -- that multiple composers from every nationality in the map of Europe raced to compose arrangements and sets of variations on that melody and bass.  If you're thinking of the famous 24th Caprice by Paganini, you're certainly on the right track -- but your timing is out by more than a century.  Nonetheless, Paganini's work -- itself a set of variations -- has attracted such diverse composers as Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Lutoslawski, to name only three.


But that track record pales in comparison with the anonymous -- yet obstinately memorable -- Renaissance theme known as La Folia.  Its origin is not known.  The earliest documentary reference to it comes from Portugal in 1577.  Yet it is commonly referred to as Folies d'espagne  or Folia di spagna ( "Folia of Spain"). 
The record of composers basing sets of variations on it is far, far longer than with Paganini's famous Caprice.  Corelli, Vivaldi, Bach and Handel are only a few of the best known.  Indeed, so many composers took to writing variations on this simple theme (over 150 are known for certain) that multiple whole recordings have been issued, consisting entirely of works which may be called chaconne or ciacona, passacaglia or passacaglie, or even differences -- all based on this one theme.


The tune itself is known by numerous spelling variants: Follia, folia, follie, and folie are all out there.  But all refer to the same musical shape.


Some sources hold that the name doesn't really equate with the English word "folly".  That just made for a catchy title for this post.  It's actually a reference to the compositional technique which gave rise to the many different variants of the tune.  The so-called Later Folia (said to have been perfected first by Jean-Baptiste Lully) is the one commonly used in most of the versions, including the ones I've heard. 


The key to the matter is the clear, straight-forward bass line.  Classical variation technique consists of building your varying melodies and harmonies on the unwavering bass pattern.  Think of Pachelbel's famous Canon and you'll understand exactly what I mean.  In practise the melody usually takes on a slightly more complex triple-time pattern in the form of a sarabande. 
The true fascination, of course, lies in the infinite diversity of the music that composers have managed to coax out of this simple, apparently artless, musical material.


What is it that makes La folia so gripping?  I can only speculate.  The structure of the tune is of course well-nigh perfect for variation form, because of the neatly symmetrical structure and the ending which returns to its opening point.  The clear bass line, using some of the most common intervals, also opens up huge possibilities.  In our day, perhaps more so than in Renaissance and Baroque times, the use of the minor key invites thoughts of sadness, mourning or melancholy -- certainly an air of serious thought pervades any music based on this sequential theme.


Of course, I have to admit that for many people a whole programme of variations on the same theme might well be far too much of a good thing.  But my personal reaction is that I can go on listening to these multiple versions of La folia for a very long time!


In fact, I first became aware of it as a musical entity when the cable radio network began playing one or two excerpts from a Jordi Savall recording of orchestral versions.  One of these, by a Spanish composer, even incorporated the use of castanets!  Some time after that, the cable radio broadcast a concerto by Corelli, which included a variation movement based on La folia.  Since then, I have certainly become aware of some of the other possibilities floating around out there -- and there are many. 


Sadly, that particular recording by Savall is now out of print, but there are certainly other choices available.  Just recently I downloaded a harpsichord recording which consists largely (not entirely) of keyboard versions of La folia by multiple hands.  I've also acquired a box set of the music of Vivaldi, and found a wonderful set of variations on La folia in one of his Trio Sonatas.  With both of these recordings I had the exact same reaction.  Having listened through to the end, I promptly repeated the entire program!


If you do follow my lead and look up some of the many versions of La folia, I venture to guess that you may find the tune and bass familiar.  Even if you don't, you may very well find these many compositions as compelling and hypnotic as I do.