“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: Piano
Item no.: 356637
for: Trumpet [cornet], piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 863238
for: 3 saxophones (same tuning)
Score, set of parts, online audio
Item no.: 765503
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1712124
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1712123
for: Keyboard
Music score (melody, chords)
Item no.: 217007
for: Brass quintet
Sheet music
Item no.: 597667
for: 4 bassoons
Sheet music
Item no.: 1253459
for: 5 saxophones
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254222
for: 3 trumpets, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1264353
for: Flexible ensemble (4 voices)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1265373
for: 3 violins, piano [keyboard]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1256286
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 594561
for: Cello, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1286575
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 1314949
for: Solo for Flute, Piccolo, Oboe, Clarinet, F Horn, Soprano Saxophohne, Tenor Saxophone, Violin or Viola & String Quartet
Sheet music
Item no.: 1299131
for: Horn (E-flat), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1299120
for: Solo for Flute, Piccolo, Oboe, Clarinet, F Horn, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Violin or Viola & Orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1308041
for: 4 bassoons; rhythm group (piano, guitar, bass, percussion) ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 655420
for: 5 saxophones
Sheet music
Item no.: 590417
for: String quintet
Sheet music
Item no.: 590335
for: 4 woodwinds (quartet)
Sheet music
Item no.: 590185
for: STR GLO
Stimmen-Set (Streicher 4/3/2/2/1)
Item no.: 207203
for mallet percussion ensemble (3-5 players) score and parts
for: Percussion ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 632282
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 623171
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 467714
for: Small wind band
Lyric book
Item no.: 549266
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 139967
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1671462
Böhmische Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1671452
Polka für 7er Besetzung
Edition Blasmusik vom "Kleinsten"
for: 3 trumpets, tenor horn, baritone, tuba, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1673060
Polka
Original Kapelle Egerland
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 694070
Schnellpolka
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1683253
Eine im mährischen Stil effektvolle Glanznummer für das Tenor-Register
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 773775
Mährische Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1566649
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (B-flat), set of parts
Item no.: 645329
Polka
for: 3 trumpets, concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1638956
Marsch-Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (B-flat), set of parts
Item no.: 1639492
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [flugelhorn], concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1641782
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1632224
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1632358
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1632416
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1559963
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 625767
Falesna Frajarka / Galanecka
2 Polkas
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1560226
Polka
Neue Böhmische Blasmusik
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1560041
RUNDEL Märsche großer Meister
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1560043
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1560445
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