“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: Small wind band
Single part Clarinet 1 (B-flat)
Item no.: 660156
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 957963
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958727
for: Concert Band/Harmonie and 3 Baritones/Euphoniums
Score
Item no.: 958634
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958382
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958073
for: Harp
Item no.: 339166
Item no.: 1685888
Item no.: 1685885
for: Saxophone, piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 463988
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 430615
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 127321
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 125687
for: Accordion
Set of parts
Item no.: 211499
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 127122
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 304950
for: Accordion
Item no.: 210376
for: Accordion orchestra
Item no.: 222438
for: Accordion orchestra
Score
Item no.: 222237
for: Accordion orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 218802
for: 1. Akkordeon, 2. Akkordeon
Stimme(n)
Item no.: 646808
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 140742
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 162632
for: Small wind band
Single part Bass instrument (B-flat)
Item no.: 549263
for: Folk music band
Single part Accordion
Item no.: 107639
for: Salon orchestra
Piano part for conductor, Parts
Item no.: 1112015
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 302285
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102682
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1112000
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 102902
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 246223
for: Flute, violin, guitar
Score, Parts
Item no.: 647752
for: THRN (BAR) BLM
Partitur
Item no.: 615052
Polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 366090
for: Trumpet, piano
Item no.: 468320
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 362340
for: Piccolo and Piano
Buch
Item no.: 326569
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 241905
Art Of Brass Vienna
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba (quintet)
Item no.: 126471
Single edition
Item no.: 410623
for: Mixed choir, piano
Item no.: 190002
Polka
for: Small wind band
Single part Trumpet 2
Item no.: 472643
Polka
for: Small wind band
Single part Percussion
Item no.: 472639
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Item no.: 421095
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 141334
Polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1593351
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