“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: Accordion
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 1105791
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1714862
for: Flexible wind band (7 parts)
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1654369
Polka
for: Small wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1192628
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683550
for: Ensemble (Blech), Ensemble gemischt (Holz/Blech)
Item no.: 1683534
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683312
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683213
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683155
for: Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1188541
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1185941
for: Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1187457
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1185661
for: Clarinet/Saxophone/Trumpet/Euphonium/Baritone/Trombone/Bass Tuba
Item no.: 1705994
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 303486
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 314988
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 280073
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 193701
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 664456
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 550330
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 954593
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682840
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682623
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1682520
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 184741
for: Blasorchester
Item no.: 1683000
Chodounska-Polka für Blasorchester
Josef-Poncar-Edition
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 553870
for: KAMMERMUSIK STREICHINSTRUMENTE QUARTETTE
Score, Parts
Item no.: 260989
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 302903
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 363628
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 636077
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 188539
(Sly Panenky / Zdenicka)
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 296699
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 244266
for: Accordion orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 632942
for: 4 bassoons
Score, Parts
Item no.: 644401
for: Diatonic accordion
Single edition
Item no.: 220586
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1169811
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958055
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 154087
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 224173
for: Schrammel quartet (2 violins, clarinet in g [harmonica], double guitar)
Item no.: 309886
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 226600
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684819
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 690968
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 688938
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 688697
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684833
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