Rediscovering musicians from the past is normal these days. In the case of the Neapolitan Andrea Falconieri, however, something strange is going on, because he was rediscovered a century or so ago. Although it was only a part of his works at the time - mostly lyrical airs as well as some instrumental dances - these successes actually deserved much more attention from musicians and music critics than they actually received. Falconieri's biography is a model for the typical Italian musician of the first half of the 17th century. He was born in Naples around 1585 and died there during the terrible plague of 1656 after traveling for thirty years and working in the most prestigious musical centers in Europe: Parma, Florence, Rome, Spain, Germany, Venice, Modena and Genoa.

Quand on songe à l’œuvre d’Arcangelo Corelli, l’un des maîtres de la sonate préclassique et du concerto grosso, nous vient le plus souvent et spontanément en tête le fameux Concerto per la Notte di Natale, n° 8 des douze concerti grossi composant son opus 6. La Follia, cette célèbre sarabande qui développe une suite de quelque seize variations, est à l’opus V ce que le Concerto per la Notte di Natale est à l’opus 6 : la pièce la plus célèbre et la plus populaire.