“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: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 690254
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 690245
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 690179
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 689471
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 688695
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 670451
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 462356
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 375056
for: Salon orchestra
Piano part for conductor, Parts
Item no.: 309815
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1702546
for: Flexible ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 331381
for: 3 horns
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1651966
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1169880
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1653703
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), percussion
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1562601
for: Flexible ensemble
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 778985
for: Wind ensemble
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1714030
for: 3 violins, piano [keyboard]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1312835
for: Trombone, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1286582
for: Brass quintet
Sheet music
Item no.: 1311552
for: String orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1311459
for: Clarinet, concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1558248
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684760
for: Piccolo, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1299129
for: Viola, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1299112
for: Euphonium, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1298755
for: Alphorn (G-flat), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 599577
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 168757
Polka, Walzer und Boarische für 2 Klarinetten
for: 2 clarinets
2 music scores
Item no.: 679764
for: 2 pianos 8 hands
Item no.: 432508
for: Violin
Item no.: 467225
Tick-Tock Polka
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1341261
for: Bass Solo or Bass Section & Brass Band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595094
for: 3 trumpets, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 599373
for: 4 trumpets, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 598592
for: Flexible ensemble (4 voices)
Sheet music
Item no.: 597925
for: 3 trombones
Sheet music
Item no.: 596171
for: 2 Alphorns in Gb & Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 591449
for: 3 Trumpets & Concert Band
Sheet music
Item no.: 588253
for: für Violine und Klavier
Item no.: 357988
for: Viola, piano
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1563454
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Music score (piano accompaniment)
Item no.: 188538
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1046636
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044337
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1169810
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 166380
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958280
Hal Leonard Flex-Band Series
for brass, woodwind or strings / includes percussion
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices); drums ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 681951
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