“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: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1589056
Polka für Akkordeon
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102005
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1020443
for: Accordion
Single part Accordion
Item no.: 393553
Original Pieces of Old Bairian Wind Music
for: Small wind band
Single part Baritone horn (B-flat)
Item no.: 209127
Original Pieces of Old Bairian Wind Music
for: Small wind band
Single part Clarinet 2 (B-flat)
Item no.: 209122
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958811
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958805
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 957957
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958701
for: Small wind band
Single part Flute
Item no.: 660155
Single part bass
Item no.: 958852
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1018874
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1169892
for: Concert band [big band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1712050
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 206331
for: Flexible Instrumentation
Score, Parts
Item no.: 377657
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 210533
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 125991
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 307325
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 125990
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 125688
for: Accordion
Single edition
Item no.: 222575
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 301442
Item no.: 1686495
Item no.: 1687536
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1184736
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 464171
for: Accordion orchestra
Score
Item no.: 219128
for: Accordion orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 218891
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 162629
for: Mixed choir; piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 224306
Single part Alto saxophone
Item no.: 957868
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 957845
Deine Blasmusik Edition
for: 4 brass instruments
Single part Flugelhorn (B-flat)
Item no.: 779252
for: 2 tenor horns, concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1639224
for: Zither
Item no.: 106819
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 358150
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 304966
for: Small wind band
Single part Clarinet 3 (B-flat)
Item no.: 549246
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 203703
Original Burgenlandkapelle, mit Text
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1671472
Concert Polka
for: Concert band
Score, conductor's part, orchestral parts
Item no.: 1560106
for: Baritone horn (B-flat)
Item no.: 293673
for: Diatonic accordion
Item no.: 294365
for: 2 Melodic instruments (E-flat treble clef)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 173289
Choir part Tenor 1
Item no.: 328174
for: Zither
Item no.: 474811
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