“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: Fanfare
Score
Item no.: 1180543
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1186358
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1186736
for: Fanfare
Score
Item no.: 1182096
für's 18–bässig Schwyzer–Oergeli
for: Schwyzerörgeli
Music score
Item no.: 265837
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1184602
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683554
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683529
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683527
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683522
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683305
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683297
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683285
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683281
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683176
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1073503
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 292929
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 107131
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1185525
Polka
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 746727
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 174375
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 174373
for: Piano
Item no.: 305432
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 223705
for: 2 violins, viola, cello/double bass
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 192085
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 273660
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 893290
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 210375
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 304967
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 304948
for: Accordion
Item no.: 213288
for: Piano
Music score (hardcover)
Item no.: 256736
for: Diatonic accordion
Music score
Item no.: 161805
for: Accordion
Single edition
Item no.: 146478
for: Trumpet [cornet], piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 778779
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 669833
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1169807
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 959050
Version Bb Tenor - Tenorhorn, Bariton, Euphonium, Posaune
for: 2 tenor horns [euphoniums]
Performance scores
Item no.: 817763
Volksweise
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Item no.: 1560441
for: Flexible wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1716223
for: Celli (8)
Set of parts
Item no.: 172311
Polka für 7er Besetzung
Edition Blasmusik vom "Kleinsten"
for: 2 flugelhorns, trumpet, tenor horn, baritone, tuba, percussion
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1673092
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1672142
Orchester Holger Mück
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1672603
Walzer
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1683302
Polka für 7er Besetzung
Edition Blasmusik vom "Kleinsten"
for: 2 flugelhorns, trumpet, tenor horn, baritone, tuba, percussion
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1673105
for: 2 clarinets, concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1632401
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