Early music ensemble Musica Narrans performs Folia variations by the baroque period composers Arcangelo Corelli, Alessandro Scarlatti, and Marin Marais.

Folia – Baroque Violin, Viola da Gamba & Harpsichord

Ensemble Musica Narrans:

  • Jakob David Rattinger – Viola da Gamba & director
  • Lina Tur Bonet – Baroque Violin
  • Nadja Lesaulnier – Harpsichord

Video

  • Cinematographer: Stefano Pancaldi
  • Tonmeister: Andreas Ziegler
  • Editor: Lukas Kogler
  • Director: Klaus Feichtenberger
  • Production: dreiD.at

La Folía (Spanish), also folies d’Espagne (French), Follies of Spain (English) or Follia (Italian), is one of the oldest European musical themes, or primary material, generally melodic, of a composition, on record. The theme exists in two versions, referred to as early and late folias, the earlier being faster.

Arcangelo Corelli in 1700, Marin Marais in 1701 and Alessandro Scarlatti in 1710 are three of many important composers those considered to highlight this ‘later’ folia repeating theme in a brilliant way.

Arcangelo Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli, a 1697 painting by the Irish painter Hugh Howard. Photo: Wikipedia

Arcangelo Corelli (17 February 1653 – 8 January 1713) was an Italian violinist and composer of the Baroque era. His music was key in the development of the modern genres of sonata and concerto, in establishing the preeminence of the violin, and as the first coalescing of modern tonality and functional harmony.

Alessandro Scarlatti

Alessandro Scarlatti
Alessandro Scarlatti

Alessandro Scarlatti (2 May 1660 – 22 October 1725) was an Italian Baroque composer, especially famous for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is considered the founder of the Neapolitan school of opera. He was the father of two other composers, Domenico Scarlatti and Pietro Filippo Scarlatti.

Marin Marais

Marin Marais
Marin Marais by the French portrait painter André Bouys, 1704. Image: Wikipedia

Marin Marais (31 May 1656, Paris – 15 August 1728, Paris) was a French composer and viol player. He studied composition with Jean-Baptiste Lully, often conducting his operas, and with master of the bass viol Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe for six months. He was hired as a musician in 1676 to the royal court of Versailles. He did quite well as court musician, and in 1679 was appointed ordinaire de la chambre du roy pour la viole, a title he kept until 1725.

He was the father of the composer Roland Marais (c. 1685 – c. 1750).

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

Published by M. Özgür Nevres

I am Özgür Nevres, a software engineer, a former road racing cyclist, and also an amateur musician. I opened andantemoderato.com to share my favorite music. I also take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!

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