“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
Item no.: 894175
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 268850
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 268846
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, guitar
Item no.: 283091
for: Salon orchestra
Piano part for conductor, Parts
Item no.: 309815
for: 5 brass winds
Score, Parts
Item no.: 268779
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 305356
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 305244
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
Quick Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1680917
for: Streichquartett, Kontrabass (ad libitum)
Score, part
Item no.: 475258
for: 1-2 Violinen, Klavier
Score, solo part
Item no.: 173472
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 470483
for: 2 harps
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 655559
for: Alphorn (G-flat), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 599577
for: 3 trumpets, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 599373
for: 4 trumpets, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 598592
for: 2 Alphorns in Gb & Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 591449
for: Bass Solo or Bass Section & Brass Band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595094
for: 3 trombones
Sheet music
Item no.: 596171
for: Flexible ensemble (4 voices)
Sheet music
Item no.: 597925
for: String orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1311459
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: Brass quintet
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254934
for: Trombone, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1286582
for: 3 violins, piano [keyboard]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1312835
for: Brass quintet
Sheet music
Item no.: 1311552
for: 4 trumpets, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1264511
for: 3 flutes, piano [keyboard]
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 1256293
for: Concert band
Set of parts
Item no.: 262318
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1683217
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1677512
for: 3 Trumpets & Concert Band
Sheet music
Item no.: 588253
Zwei Polkas
Ernst Mosch und seine Original Egerländer Musikanten
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1560498
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1684420
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 467715
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1690487
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1669929
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1681660
Polka
Originalnoten der Holzfrei-Böhmischen
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1681675
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1681756
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1696790
für 5-stg kleine Blasmusik, Akkordeon und Schlagzeug ad lib.
RUNDELs Kleine Blasmusik (Quintett +)
for: Flexible wind ensemble (5 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1560195
Walzer
Guido Henn und seine Goldene Blasmusik
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1563123
Hasicská polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1557365
Polka
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1008804
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