"La Folia" is one of the most enduring musical themes in European music history, originating as a Portuguese dance tune in the Renaissance period. Arcangelo Corelli's set of variations on this theme from his Violin Sonata Op.5 No.12 represents one of the most famous and influential treatments of this melody, establishing the standard harmonic progression that would be used by many later composers including Vivaldi, Bach, and Rachmaninoff.
Corelli's Op.5 No.12 is a landmark set of variations on the ancient 'La Folia' melody, showcasing Baroque violin techniques. It became a model for theme-and-variations form.
Corelli's "La Folia" variations, part of his Op.5 Violin Sonatas, represent one of the most influential Baroque interpretations of this ancient theme. The work consists of 23 virtuosic variations exploring diverse violin techniques over a repeating harmonic progression. Kreisler's 1910 arrangement popularized it for modern violinists, though his incorrect attribution to Tartini caused historical confusion.
