MARAIS-Johnstone – Las Folias (Couplets on the “Folies d’Espagne”) – TWO CELLOS

Other Identification:
The Couplets on the “Folies d’Espagne” are a series of variations on the theme of the folia composed by Marais for his second collection of viola de gamba. At the top end of the repertoire for the instrument, this work testifies to the treasures of inventiveness that baroque composers have been able to deploy to make some notes an unforgettable motif. Published in 1701, originally there were 32 verses on “Les Folies d’Espagne”, lasting about 15-16 minutes.
Since the Renaissance, the composers of scholarly music have developed a keen interest in small and often obscure popular musical motifs, which they appropriate and use as a basis for their compositional work. The theme of “the madness of Spain” (also called the “Faronell” in England, in tribute to the violinist Michel Farinelli who made it known) is undoubtedly the one who inspired the most musicians of the time. It appeared in Portugal in the sixteenth century, and met with great success throughout Europe in the following decades. The folia, because of its repetitive rhythm, its evocative harmonic sequence and its melancholy and simple melody, naturally attracted groups or artists of popular music. Marais is already a recognized composer when he tackles the theme of folia. The variation on a popular theme loses some popularity during the nineteenth century, but the success of the folia in the past still encourages many composers to refer to it directly or indirectly (Liszt, Rachmaninov, Bacri, Henze and even Britney Spears).