“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: TRP (KLAR/THRN/FLHRN/T-SAX)
Item no.: 225683
Item no.: 1686481
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 127305
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 127083
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 283274
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 276842
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 268842
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 163370
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 305000
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 305320
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 305317
Piano conductor, orchestral parts
Item no.: 482536
for: Salon orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 299021
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102275
Polka
for: Small wind band
Single part Percussion
Item no.: 1657754
Polka
for: Small wind band
Single part Flugelhorn 2
Item no.: 1657755
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon (wind quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 666793
Walzer und Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 331895
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1631944
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 604665
for: Salon orchestra
Item no.: 209692
Goldene Zither 561
for: Zither
Item no.: 191302
Walter Grechenig und seine Fegerländer
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Score, conductor's part, orchestral parts
Item no.: 1560095
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 104062
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 218804
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 153812
for: Combo
Item no.: 560642
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 458887
Polka
for: Small wind band
Single part Clarinet 3
Item no.: 472638
Collection for young wind band
for: Youth concert band
Horn 1 in F (orchestral part)
Item no.: 278096
Collection for young wind band
for: Youth concert band
Tenor horn 1 in B-flat (orchestral part)
Item no.: 226508
Goldene Zither 567
for: Zither
Item no.: 488002
Schnell-Polka, Galopp
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1543928
Polka
Deine Blasmusik Edition
for: Concert band
Score, conductor's part, orchestral parts
Item no.: 1562485
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 344348
Polka aus dem Repertoire der Blaskapelle "Die Jungen Böhmischen" unter der Leitung von Frank Metzger.
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 608488
for: Small wind band
Set of parts
Item no.: 295728
Polka
BOVACO Classic CB
for: Concert band
Conductors part
Item no.: 1069359
Polka
BOVACO Classic CB
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1068956
Polka
BOVACO Classic CB
for: Trumpet [cornet], concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1022498
Böhmische Polka
Kurt Pascher und seine Original Böhmerwälder Musikanten
Edition Bergsee
for: Small wind band
Score, conductor's part, orchestral parts
Item no.: 1557282
for: Small wind band
Single part baritone horn [trombone] (C)
Item no.: 660168
for: Small wind band
Single part Flugelhorn 2
Item no.: 660159
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