“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; voice ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 657475
Marschpolka
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 656298
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1192705
Polka
Böhmerwälder Musikanten
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 681319
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 291246
Der Musikalische Salon Vol. 19
for: Streichquartett, Kontrabass (ad libitum)
Score, part
Item no.: 475258
Kurt Pascher und seine Böhmerwälder Musikanten
for: 2 flugelhorns, concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1589751
Polka für ein tiefes Soloinstrument und Blasorchester
for: Melody instrument (C/B-flat/F/E-flat/C low), concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1589050
Polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 672029
Polka
for: Brass ensemble (7 voices), percussion
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1670257
Polka
Timo Hieske und seine Jungen Egerländer
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 960599
Traditionelle Polka
for: Brass ensemble (7 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1696672
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 136583
Polka
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 447013
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1701765
for: Zither (5 chords)
Backing sheet
Item no.: 151615
op. 201
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 456214
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1702528
for: Saxophon-Quartett (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 604415
for: 2 pianos 8 hands
Item no.: 432508
Polka
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 472125
for: Small wind band
Set of parts
Item no.: 132461
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, guitar
Item no.: 283091
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 268850
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 158182
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
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1701580
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958363
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958280
for: 2 harps
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 655559
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1712055
for: 1-2 Violinen, Klavier
Score, solo part
Item no.: 173472
for: Piano 6 hands
Item no.: 181737
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1684420
for: Concert band
Set of parts
Item no.: 262318
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 1711916
for: Accordion
Item no.: 167974
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Music score (piano accompaniment)
Item no.: 188538
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1711915
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 305356
for: Violin
Item no.: 467225
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1187449
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1187047
for: Fanfare
Score
Item no.: 1181499
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1011976
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 168757
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 411677
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 177738
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