If Western Europe, stretching from Portugal in the south to Sweden and Finland in the north,
is the historical center of gravity of the birth and rise of the later Folia theme, it will not
come as a surprise that lots of composers outside this area also embraced this
musical theme. In this chapter an overview of only the more remote areas is shown
in chronological order of appearance. My apologies to exotic resorts, but the place of birth of a composer is
considered of no importance if he got his education elsewhere and composed in a completely different
environment. So no Manuel Ponce (Mexico) who composed his Folía variations in France or Vangelis (Greece) who
made England his second home.
Can you discern any patterns? I am afraid modern technology has had a devastating effect
on traditional ways of cultural transmission.
