“To dance is human, to polka is divine” K.D. Lang, Canadian Singer-Songwriter
If you think that the polka is originally a Polish dance, then you are way off! This popular dance is one of the cultural treasures of another small middle European country. If you would like to know more about the origins of this Czech dance, then browse our sheet music & scores, and explore all the marvellous Polkas Stretta has to offer!
It is no longer known exactly where and when the polka came to be, but from the early 19th century the predecessor of the polka, the “Nimra”, was becoming very popular. The next development was the “Maděra”, which was then renamed to the “Půlka”, which was later renamed the Polka.
The polka was already well known around Europe, and by the 1840s, and it had become one of the favourite dances in the courts of Vienna. Johann Strauss I was also fascinated by the polka in Prague, and subsequently composed several polkas himself. The polka was also very popular with the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, who composed polkas for piano, and also used them in his symphonic and operatic works including Vltava and The Bartered Bride.
Like many other folk dances, the polka found its way into the ballets of the 19th century, in the form of the “Polka Hongroise” or “French Polka”, particularly in works by Léo Delibes. In Vienna the “Polka Schnell” or “Quick Polka” was also popular for a long time, often penned by Johann Strauss II.
One of the most famous polka melodies, which has travelled the world in many different versions, is Jaromír Vejvoda’s “Škoda lásky” known also as “Rosamunde” or “The Beer Barrel Polka”.
for: 3 clarinets, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 665545
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102574
for: 4 Blockflöten (SSAA) und Klavier
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 355207
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 354019
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1128527
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 245873
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1701935
for: Fanfare
Score
Item no.: 1182110
for: Percussion, piano
Buch
Item no.: 1073111
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 559180
for: Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1186153
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682980
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 144425
for: Piano
Item no.: 289051
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 132169
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683543
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683532
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683528
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683524
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683286
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1014980
Item no.: 1688325
Item no.: 1688324
Item no.: 1688286
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1543657
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 621615
for: Accordion orchestra
Score
Item no.: 220783
for: Accordion
Item no.: 210535
SwingPolka (Verlagskopie) (Editor's copy)
for: 2 accordions (duet)
Item no.: 407449
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 637825
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 125986
for: Violin, cello
Music score
Item no.: 1204655
for: Trumpet, piano
Score
Item no.: 204191
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 125896
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 184374
Polka
Neuausgabe nach dem Autograph
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 677773
Polka
Neuausgabe nach dem Autograph
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 677772
Polka
Neuausgabe nach dem Autograph
for: Symphonic orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 677776
Polka
Neuausgabe nach dem Autograph
for: Symphonic orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 677774
Polka
Neuausgabe nach dem Autograph
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 677775
for: String orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 218200
for: String orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 218202
Single part Tuba 2 (C)
Item no.: 549262
for: String orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 218199
for: Accordion
Single part(n)
Item no.: 395967
Collection for young wind band
for: Youth concert band
Trombone 1 in C (orchestral part)
Item no.: 226503
Collection for young wind band
for: Youth concert band
Tuba 1 in C (orchestral part)
Item no.: 217557
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