“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”.
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1610676
Walzerlied
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1589063
Böhmische Polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 208095
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1654363
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 607335
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 602237
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1560513
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 277588
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684824
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1701901
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 475101
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1701779
Polka
Die kleine Egerländer-Besetzung
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), accordion, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1167599
Die kleine Egerländer-Besetzung
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), accordion, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1168989
Polka
Die kleine Egerländer-Besetzung
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), accordion, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1163927
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 154087
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 944894
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1169811
"Southbrass"
Polka
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1208991
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 226600
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 637428
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1703542
for: Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 958725
for: Voice, small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 634471
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958055
for: Bassoon / Trombone / Baritone
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 957811
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 374630
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958845
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958165
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 314988
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1677624
Blasmusik
for: BLM TRP POS
Set of parts
Item no.: 393500
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 244266
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 468386
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682784
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682686
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682327
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682321
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682289
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1654350
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1589773
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1558239
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198610
for: 4 guitars (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1114242
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 690968
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 664456
for: Salon orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 627018
for: 3 trombones
Ensemble score
Item no.: 185147