I must confess I have added the following discussion to another website but hope you also find it interesting.
La Folia (pronounced lah foh-LEE-ah) which literally means madness, folly or empty-headedness is possibly one of the most remarkable phenomena in musical history. This simple but intriguing tune was first published in 1672 with roots going back to the 16th century. It has been a major challenge for many composers up to the present day, ranging from being part of a Bach Cantata to being incorporated into a film theme by Vangelis. Perhaps the most striking feature is that the theme is not better known despite more than 150 composers making variations of it over a span of nearly 350 years.
It strikes me that this would be an excellent basis for a competition among our members - just out of interest...sadly no cash prizes. Because sometimes I see myself fitting neatly into the meaning of 'La Folia' I have had a crack at writing 12 variations for horn quartet. For your interest the theme proper makes its first entrance in the 1st horn part in variation 5 - it is only 8 notes long.
Incidentally, I have become fixated with this so am now attempting a set of jazz variations - crazy or what!
Comments that might lead to improvements are welcome as always.
Replies
I thought that's how blues begun: I-IV-I-V-I etc, etc :-)
(any other resulting chords may be taken as substitutions)
gregorio X said:
Good one, Socrates! (wish i had your clapping imogee)
right click on it-copy/paste image Gregorio.
I have followed this thread with great interest. It is fascinating how such an unassuming set of notes & chords could have held so many composers in thrall all these centuries! My two favorites are the Handel and this one by the "rule-breaking unknown modernist composer".
The Handel stands out because he turned a melody/harmony piece that didn't have much direction into something that built to a climax and then had a wonderful cadential theme. I think if I were to write La Folia variations, I'd use Handel's version as the basis.
That unknown modernist composer didn't do half bad either. ;-) I really love Rachmaninoff's variations, which I studied along with his Rhapsody/Paganini variations when I was working on my own variation set. In my life-view, which is admittedly 20th century and beyond, variations should start as recognizable, then move further and further away from the source until you wonder how it got there! Then perhaps at the end, a little "memory" of the original theme is cool to remind everyone of how far we've come. In that respect, Mozart's "Twinkle" variations are boring in the extreme. Even the kids in my under-10 set start yawning half way through the Mozart. "He never even changes the key!" they cry out, as if in pain. They all love how Rachmaninoff goes far afield and adds his own stamp to his variation sets.
I think I'll start a thread on the Paganini theme, which has also inspired scores of composers (pun intended). After exams and spring concert time, that is!! Right now is a very busy time for our young student composers, and as their devoted teacher, I'm swamped.
John Driscoll said:
Agustus Stephanos = Steven Gustin = Gone
Thanks for the "lower case clue", Mike.
-- Julie
Steven, you're making up "rules" again that simply DO NOT EXIST.
You should take some time to educate yourself about variations are. Here is a link to the Wikipedia page, which has a lovely example from Mozart of exactly what you just incorrectly said could not be a variation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variation_(music)#Harmonic_Variation
agustus stephanos said:
Yep. And he is gone. Again. Now we can get back to what variations really are!!
Let me know if anyone has any further sightings of SG/AS...
John Driscoll said:
La Folia indeed!
Julie Harris said:
HOWL (Hoot of wild laughter)
John Driscoll said:
John, too funny! (*you sly synchronistic punster)
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