“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”.
Walzer
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 958012
Michael Klostermann und seine Musikanten
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958845
Traditionelle Polka
for: Brass ensemble (7 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1696704
Polka
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1701505
Polka
Die kleine Egerländer-Besetzung
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices), accordion, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1208966
Polka
Kurt Pascher und seine Original Böhmerwälder Musikanten
Edition Bergsee
for: Small wind band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1557359
for: Small wind band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1557293
for: POS-B 3 (THRN)
Item no.: 549259
Michael Klostermann und seine Musikanten
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 958055
Hymnen und Choräle
for: Bassoon / Trombone / Baritone
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 957811
Polka und Walzer
mit Saxophon- und Schweizer Stimmen
Robert Payer und seine Original-Burgenkapelle
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 559368
Brass Band
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595691
Learning With Fun
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 491995
Partitur und Stimmen
for: KAMMERMUSIK STREICHINSTRUMENTE QUARTETTE
Score, Parts
Item no.: 260989
mit Saxophon- und Schweizer Stimmen
Robert Payer und seine Original-Burgenkapelle
for: Concert band [Small wind band]
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 111270
for: Combo
Item no.: 107135
Brass Band
for: 2 Alphorns in Gb & Brass Band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595938
Keyboard & Drum Set optional
for: 4 brass instruments
Sheet music
Item no.: 597964
Alphorn in F / Fa
for: Alphorn (F), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 599578
Brass Band
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 592741
Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar & Drums optional
for: 4 bassoons
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310091
Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar & Drums optional
for: 4 bassoons
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310057
Piano, Guitar & Drums optional
for: 4 cellos
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310003
aus "Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion" und dem TV-Zweiteiler "Der Unschuldsengel"
for: Combo
Item no.: 361920
for: 4 trombones (quartet)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1253840
for: 4 euphoniums
Sheet music
Item no.: 1253794
Chester Woodwind Series
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 280073
4er Notenset
for: Small wind band
Item no.: 1651187
Guitar, Bass Guitar & Drums optional
for: 4 alto saxophones, piano [keyboard]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1313561
Guitar, Bass Guitar & Drums optional
for: 3 flutes, piano [keyboard]
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 1312842
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102367
Original für Klavier
for: 4 bassoons
Score, Parts
Item no.: 644401
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1351625
Originalfassung
4/3/2/2/1
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 154087
bearbeitet für vierstimmiges Holzbläser-Ensemble in variabler Besetzung
UE Ensemble-Bläser Band 5
for: Flexible wind ensemble (4 voices)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 134839
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 183306
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1610814
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1610676
Walzerlied
for: Small wind band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1589063
Böhmische Polka
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 208095
for: 4 clarinets
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254393
7er-Besetzung
Polka
for: Flexible wind band (7 parts)
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1654369
Polka
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1654363
(Sly Panenky / Zdenicka)
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 296699
Brass Band
for: 3 cornets, brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595088
Schönfeld-Marsch/Zäpperl-Polka
Band 9
Wienerisch für Streichquartett
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 550330
Polka
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 607335
Polka française für Orchester - 2. Auflage
Strauss Edition Wien / Neue Johann Strauss Gesamtausgabe
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684833