“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”.
Keyboard, Drums & Percussions optional
for: Brass quintet
Sheet music
Item no.: 597667
for: 5 saxophones
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254222
Polka
op. 127
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 670496
Pokka française
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 670478
for: Trombone, brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1558533
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 184103
D
for: Accordion
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052342
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 184576
Kurt Pascher und seine Original Böhmerwälder Musikanten
Edition Bergsee
for: Small wind band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1557323
for: Electric organ
Item no.: 107667
Polka schnell op. 324
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1665558
Polka
for: Small wind band; voice ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1192613
from the ballet 'Solitaire'
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1558250
(Polka mit Text)
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 161661
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1701583
Polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1596261
Böhmische Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1596255
für 4 Saxophone mit alternativen Stimmen für Klarinetten
for: 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 357390
Polka Schnell
Oversized, spiral-bound score
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 1059712
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 609082
for: Clarinet +Ssax +Piano
Book
Item no.: 1660597
Polka schnell für Orchester
Strauss Edition Wien / Neue Johann Strauss Gesamtausgabe
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684845
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 223975
for: Brass ensemble (7 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1696674
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1702464
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 1701940
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 677684
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 271513
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 578319
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1702530
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 485118
15 Happy-Sound Songs in the Style of James Last
spiral-bound
for: 1–2 trumpets (B-flat)
Ensemble score, 2 Playback-CDs
Item no.: 624354
for: Piano; voice ad lib.
Single edition
Item no.: 101984
Polka
YOUNG STARS – Blasmusik für Kids
for: Youth concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1558254
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1702798
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 305351
for: STR GLO
Stimmen-Set (Streicher 4/3/2/2/1)
Item no.: 207203
for: Variable Woodwind Trio
Score, Parts
Item no.: 192467
for: Concert Band/Harmonie and Percussion
Score
Item no.: 957929
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958620
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958099
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958006
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 957828
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 959085
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1703550
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1712097
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1712040
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 461832