How does the La Folia sound like?

There are three types of files to be downloaded.
The first type is a MP3-file reproducing the sound of 'acoustic' instruments in a compressed file, which takes less bytes than a wav-file (one of the standards for storing acoustical data), but you need a mp3-player as a plug-in.
The second type is a link to Folias at the YouTube website. The music is featured with (moving) images in mpg or flv files.
The third type is a midi-file, which is very easy and fast to download (less than 10 seconds). However you are not listening to 'authentic' music as produced by acoustic instruments. It is created with the computer as intermediary and the quality of the sound depends on the quality of your soundcard.
Apart from these files it is possible to listen to original fragments of real-time music at some internet recordshops (Cd-Now, and CD-Universe) or sites specialized in moving pictures as YouTube. A simple search on the word 'Folia'(or 'Follia', Folies d'Espagne or Folias) in the classical genre will result in some nice acoustic examples to listen to.

Some acoustic examples of Folias in MP3-format

In the past all mp3-files were listed here. However the number of files kept on growing apart from the increasing file sizes. Since March 2008 it often happened that at the end of the month the site ran out of bandwidth and was closed down by the provider till the first date of the next month. To avoid accommodating visitors only interested in downloading mp3-files without any interest for the folia theme itself, I have given up listing all mp3-files since June 2008 here. Downloading Mp3-files takes a lot of bandwidth compared to midi-files.
A growing number of mp3-files (mostly fragments) is added at the website but only indicated at the relevant composer section. Remember that the only purpose is to give a brief impression of what this folia-music is all about and to illustrate the intentions of the composer/performer.
To appreciate the richness of the music and its interpretation it is best to visit a library, conservatory or recordshop.

Some acoustic examples of Folias at YouTube

The website of YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/) is a channel for musicians to broadcast their own performances. It is not always that easy to distinguish between exposure and propaganda of musicians themselves or commercial recordings that are exposed there without the consent of the record company or the musicians themselves.
That makes the YouTube channel a valuable source for referring to recordings and live performances. There is a button indicated at numerous spots within the pages with alphabetical composers with a link to the item in YouTube. As far as possible I have asked the uploader for permission to do so and I tried to avoid linking to commercial recordings without permission of the stakeholders. Some old vinyl recordings and live radio broadcastings I uploaded myself to YouTube as a source that otherwise would be lost at https://www.youtube.com/user/FoliesEspagne

Some acoustic examples of Folias and similar music in midi

It should be pointed out that there is no intention to bring the music alive in these examples because these midi files used as examples lack any kind of expression and dynamics. The only purpose is to give a brief impression of what this folia-music is all about. To appreciate the richness of the music and its interpretation it is best to go to a library, conservatory or recordshop.

musical examples of frameworks	_________________________
Progression of an early Folia	Theme twice and 2 variations by Piccinini	1'14", 64 bars
Progression of the late Folia	Theme and 1 variation with melody	1'16", 32 bars
Progression of the Sarabande by Händel	Theme and 2 variations (without repeats)	2'49", 48 bars
Composer	_________________________
Abel, Clamor Heinrich	Theme and all variations	10'00", 400 bars
Alkan, Charles Valentin	Complete andantino	4'50"
d'Anglebert, Jean-Henry	The opening: first variation (couplet)	0'34", 16 bars
Anonymous for harp (Ms. Madrid)	All 3 Variations	1'26", 48 bars
Anonymous for keyboard, England	Theme and all 5 variations	2'38", 96 bars
Anonymous for keyboard, Spain	Theme and 6 variations	2'43", 101 bars
Anonymous for keyboard (Ms. Arnhem 1)	Theme	0'29", 16 bars
Anonymous for keyboard (Ms. Arnhem 2)	Theme and all variations	5'08", 176 bars
Anonymous for lute (Ms. Berlin)	All Variations	3'47", 152 bars
Anonymous for salterio solo	Theme and all 10 variations	5'50", 176 bars
Arditti, David	Song Without Words No. 2	2'05", 55 bars
Bacevicius, Vytautas	Variation 17 and 18 of La Folia	1'35", 32 bars
Bach, Jan	Theme of Foliations	1'32", 28 bars
Bach, Jan	German variation of Foliations	1'04", 26 bars
Bach, Jan	MP3 of theme	2'14", 394kB
Bach, Johann Sebastian	Unser trefflicher lieber Kamerherr	1'53", 56 bars
Bach, Johann Sebastian	Adagio BWV 987 (similar variations)	2'36", 78 bars
Bailleux, Antoine	Theme and 2 variations	1'13", 48 bars
Baustetter, Jean Conrad	Theme	0'28", 16 bars
Bedard, Jean-Baptiste	Theme and 11 variations	6'52", 192 bars
Beethoven, Ludwig van	'Hidden' theme in 5th Symphonie	0'32", 11 bars
Bellinzani, Paolo Benedetto	Theme and all 17 var.	6'45", 288 bars
Bencze, Balázs	Theme and all variations	5'58", 199 bars
Beretta, Daniele	"Tarda" Follia e variazioni	6'07", 157 bars
Beretta, Daniele	Variazioni sul tema della "Nuova Follia"	1'38", 28 bars
Boccherini, Luigi	The complete Minueto-Bolero	4'19", 110 bars
Bravo-Tejeda, Jose	Folia Especial in D Minor	9'26", 320 bars
Cabanilles, Iohannis	Theme and all diferencias (early Folia)	8'20", 208 bars
Castro de Gistau, Salvador	Theme	0'39", 16 bars
Cipollone, Alfonso	Complete song (Foolia)	4'19", 195 bars
Conti, Francesco Bartolommeo	Duet opera la Pastorella Nobile	3'37", 187 bars
Corelli, Arcangelo	Theme and 23 variations	5'16", 210 bars
Corelli, Arcangelo	Theme and variations	6'33", 348 bars
Croebelis, Domingo S. del	7 Couplets (complete)	7'25", 227 bars
Denniston, David	A 'free' variation	1'33", 24 bars
Duarte, John	Theme and 1 variation	1'15", 32 bars
Dumond, Arnaud	Theme and 3 (8 bar) variations	1'33", 32 bars
Eccles, Lance	Theme and all variations	4'13", 215 bars
Enja	Promentory (similar variations)	2'08", 48 bars
Falconieri, Andrea	Theme and 9 variations (complete)	4'18", 161 bars
Farinel(li), Michel	Theme and all variations	5'12", 176 bars
Foley, Daniel Charles	Theme and all variations	3'20", 74 bars
Gallot, Jacques	Theme and 9 couplets	5'38", 171 bars
Gilardino, Angelo	First theme	1'10", 16 bars
Giuliani, Mauro	Theme and 6 variation (complete)	4'02", 167 bars
Giuliani, Mauro	Fragment in Sonate Op. 96 nr 3	0'37", 13 bars
Guerau, Francisco	Theme and 1 variation	0'58", 32 bars
Händel, George Frideric	Orchestral version (similar variations)	4'51", 128 bars
Händel, George Frideric	Guitar-trio version (similar variations)	5'35", 112 bars
Händel, George Frideric	Organ version (similar variations)	2'49", 48 bars
Heaton, Elizabeth	Theme and all variations	1'55", 64 bars
Jiménez, José	Theme and all 20 variations (early Folia)	9'26", 318 bars
Kapsberger, Girolamo	Theme and 2 partitas (early Folia)	1'31", 27 bars
Kuula, Toivo	Theme	1'10", 32 bars
Liszt, Franz	Rapsodie Espagnole S.254	7'42", 430 bars
Lully, Jean-Baptiste	Theme and 2 variations	1'50", 48 bars
Marais, Marin	Theme and all couplets of les folies d'Espagne	15'36", 540 bars
Martin Y Coll, Antonio	Theme and all variations	5'11", 192 bars
Matteis, Nicola	Last two variations	1'27", 32 bars
Maute, Matthias	Theme and 12 bars more	0'49", 28 bars
Mazzella, Salvatore	Theme and 1 passacagli	0'42", 25 bars
Minguet y Irol, Pablo	Theme and diferencia	0'50", 32 bars
Hedevig Mörner Manuscript	Theme and one variation	0'48", 32 bars
Moretti, Luigi	Theme and all variations	3'13", 96 bars
Murcia, Santiago de	Theme and all variations	8'24", 224 bars
Nusbaumer, Rachel	Intro and 14 variations	6'00", 240 bars
Pacchioni, Giorgio (Varie Partite)	Theme and all variations	4'37", 168 bars
Pacchioni, Giorgio (Sonata per Arpa)	Theme and all variations	4'31", 131 bars
Pasquini, Bernardo	Theme of Partite diverse di Follia	0'28", 16 bars
Pasquini, Bernardo	Theme of Variatione sopra la Follia	0'26", 16 bars
Pasquini, Bernardo	Partite sopra la Aria della Folia	2'04", 80 bars
Piccinini, Alessandro	Theme and all variations (early Folia)	2'04", 59 bars
Ponce, Manuel	Theme, variations and fugue	25'46"
Rachmaninoff, Sergei	Theme and 1 variation (nr. 1)	1'42", 32 bars
Reicha, Antoine	Folie d'Espagne as part of Etude 33	2'38", 71 bars
Reinis, Henrich	Folie d'Espagne as part of Etude 33	2'38", 71 bars
Rothschild II, Jonathan David	Theme and all variations	7'23", 156 bars
Ruiz de Ribayaz, Lucas	Theme and 2 diferencias	1'35", 48 bars
Sanz, Caspar	Theme and 3 variations	1'32", 64 bars
Sanz, Caspar	Theme and 3 variations incl repeats.	2'28", 96 bars
Scarlatti, Alessandro	Theme	0'28", 16 bars
Schouten, Joop	Theme and all variations	7'31", 209 bars
Sebestyén, Janós	MP3-fragment	2'11", 286kB
Serrano, Valentín	Theme and variations	1'38", 48 bars
Shannon, Glen	Complete song	7'41", 249 bars
Sor, Fernando	Complete song	3'53", 113 bars
Storace, Bernardo	Theme of Follia (early Folia)	0'31", 08 bars
Svoboda, George	Theme of Folias	0'54", 16 bars
Tangerine Dream	Extended theme	0'29", 32 bars
Tiomkin, Dimitri	Green leaves of summer (similar variations)	1'33", 48 bars
Trojahn, Manfred	opening of 'false' Folia-theme	0'39", 04 bars
Trussell, Robert G.	Andante complete	5'30", 130 bars
Uematsu, Nobuo	Black Mage Village	3'13", 287 bars
Uematsu, Nobuo	Limited Time	2'42", 49 bars
Uematsu, Nobuo	Vamo' alla flamenco	2'08", 84 bars
Valderrábano, Enríque de	all four diferencias (early Folia)	3'28", 161 bars
Valente, Antonio	Il Ballo dell'intorcia (similar variations)	1'19", 56 bars
Vangelis	Complete song	4'52", 117 bars
Veracini, Francesco Maria	Theme and 26 variations	11'51", 394 bars
Vitali, Tomaso Antonio	Similar variations	3'41", 144 bars
Vivaldi, Antonio	Opening theme	0'45", 16 bars
Walter, Fried	Opening theme	0'43", 20 bars

composers of La Folia at the internet (complete set of variations)

La Follia Variations for Recorder Quartet (1996): M.J. Starke.
Duration of the music 3'14" and the size of the file is 9kB.
The arrangement (set of 5 variations) is based upon the Corelli variations for alto recorder and continuo.
© 1996 and used with permission.
The classical midi archive of M.J. Starke is located at http://www.prs.net/starke.html
Folia2000 sequenced by Nicola Nicolis
Duration of the music 3'25" and the size of the file is 18kB.
This set of variations, probably the latest sequenced in the 20th century, is grouped into repeating blocks of 16 bars for 'piano' starts with a parallel descending melody line before in the third variation a syncopated counter melody is introduced to give the piece a ragtime feeling. The last two blocks are a further exploration of the syncopation within a 'classical' atmosphere.
© 2000 and used with permission.
You can mail Nicola Nicolis at nicolisn@easynet.it
La Follia da Spagna con molti variazioni per il Clavicembalo in parte due a quattro: Mark Moya based upon the folia-theme utilised by G. Pacchioni.
Duration of the music 7'00" and the size of the file is 25kB.
This set of variations for 'harpsichord' edited by Mark Moya starts at a very slow pace but evolves towards a dazzling speed before calming down again to end where it began. In these variations the sixteenth bar (tonica) is consequently omitted (which happens to be the same as the first bar of the next variation). So variations over 15 bars, which gives a nice drive to the music but it still does sound very natural because of the ritardandos (slowing down of tempo) at the end of every variation. Albicastro used the same trick in his set of variations
© 1997 and used with permission.
The classical midi archive of Mark Moya is located at http://midiworld.com/cmc/moya.html
Fandango-prey: 'composed' and transcribed by Paul Gabler.
Duration of the music 1'19" and the size of the file is 6 kb.
Inspired by the fandangos of Soler and Boccherini the vast intro looks promising but after the first three chords of the theme the fandango got carried away by the Folia. In the solo-part there is a moment of consiousness followed by an attempt to restore the fandango for a brief moment till it's evident that the folia will not let go and the music gives in abruptly.
© 1998 and used with permission.

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