La Folia (pronounced la-foh-LEE-ah) which literally means madness, folly or empty-headedness is possibly one of the most remarkable phenomena in the history of music. This simple but intriguing tune was first published in 1672 with roots going back to the 16th century. It has been a major challenge for many composers up til the present day, ranging from being part of a Bach cantata to a film theme by Vangelis. The most striking feature of La Folia is that the theme is not better known, despite more than 150 composers making variations of it over a span of nearly 350 years. For greater insight into this fascinating melody see online: ‘Folia Research’ from which these short notes are adapted.