(Antonio Vivaldi arr. Tom Coult)
Vivaldi’s Trio Sonata Op. 1 No. 12 is a set of variations on La Folía (or La Follia in Italian), a folk tune that originated in 15th century Portugal, and whose name means ‘madness’ or ‘folly’. A huge number of composers wrote sets of variations on this theme – it became an enjoyably playful tradition for composers to revel in this addictive tune, steal ideas from one another, and generally show off.
Vivaldi’s set is my favourite, for its sense of abandon, its white-knuckle virtuosity and its sheer vulgar audacity. In that spirit, my arrangement is designed to be as flamboyant as possible – spraying the original with gaudily colourful paint and generally having fun. To enter into the Follia tradition, I’ve also thrown in small bits of variations by Marin Marais and Antonio Corelli, and at one point taking the music on a big diversion that is purely my own.
Instrumentation:
chamber orchestra: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.0, hp, strings (suggested 4.3.2.2.1, can be single strings)
Duration:
12 mins
Commission:
Commissioned by BBC Radio 3
Performances:
28 Jan 2024
Manchester Camerata
The Monastry, Manchester, UK
20 Oct 2023
Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra, Karen Ní Bhroin (cond.)
Stoller Hall, Manchester, UK
6 Jun 2023
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Christopher Rountree (cond.)
Bovard Auditorium, Los Angeles CA, USA
USA premiere
19 May 2021
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Ryan McAdams (cond.)
BBC MediaCity, Salford, UK
World premiere