The Spanish monarchy of the 17th cen- tury tightly closed its cultural borders for fear of heretical northern European influences. Its musicians were then forced to create an original music, full of archaisms but also full of new solutions, and influenced by dances from the immense colonies of the Spanish empire. In this way, traditional Spanish rhythms slipped into palaces, but so did music coming from Spanish Naples, Portugal and the American viceroyalties—that carried the rhythms of black Africa, coming with thousands of slaves forced to cross the Atlantic.

As a part of a first globalisation, these humble dances eventually dominated the music of the court of Versailles, and reached the pen of great composers, such as Bach or Scarlatti. In their hands chaconnes, fandan- gos, folías and canaries went down in history.