Polka masterpieces. Recommended popular songs.
Are you familiar with “polka,” a Czech folk music genre with a simple, friendly melody and a fast tempo that makes you want to move your body? Even if you don’t know the name of the genre, many people will recognize it when they hear a famous polka tune.
In Japan, it has even been featured for children on the TV program Minna no Uta, and interestingly, some polka songs became well-known in the 2000s through Flash animations and performances by Hatsune Miku.
This article is a collection of delightful polka classics—please enjoy them together with your children!
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Polka masterpieces. Recommended popular songs (1–10)
a woman’s heart
The polka “Women’s Hearts,” one of Josef Strauss’s signature works.
In contrast to the cheerful image typically associated with polkas, this piece is striking for its beautiful violin tone.
It is said to have been written for his beloved wife, Karoline, but some say it reflects the feelings of the heroine from the novel that lent its title to Josef’s famed work “The Village Swallows of Austria.” Lively, dance-like polkas are wonderful, of course, but it might be nice once in a while to lend an ear to a gentle, heartfelt piece like “Women’s Hearts.”
Clarinet Polka
One of the polkas said to have its origins in a Polish folk song.
A distinctive feature of this piece is that there are various accounts of when and by whom it was composed.
As the title suggests, it is often performed as a clarinet solo or ensemble, but there appear to be many performance formats, such as collaborations with accordion or yodeling.
The clarinet’s rapid arpeggios are beautiful, and it stays lively and enjoyable right to the end! It’s also a great piece for children to learn the names of instruments and their timbres.
Explosive Polka
It’s a polka composed by Johann Strauss II and can be considered one of the most popular pieces among his works.
The word “explosion” in the title is said to have been inspired by the German scientist Christian Friedrich Schönbein, who invented the cotton-like explosive nitrocellulose.
The term “explosion” even later became a buzzword among young people! It’s an entertaining piece that depicts explosions with cymbals and drums, and it culminates at the end with a big explosive sound.
Polka masterpieces. Recommended popular songs (11–20)
The tape has been cut.
A polka composed by Eduard Strauss I to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Emperor Ferdinand Northern Railway.
This railway connected Vienna, the capital of Austria, with Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and is known as the earliest railway to open in Austria.
The piece conveys the excitement and thrill of riding a train with a brisk tempo.
It is often performed by orchestra, using a wide range of woodwinds, brass, and percussion to create a rich sound.
It’s highly recommended—you and your children can enjoy it as if you’re riding the train together!
Annen-Polka (Johann Strauss I)
A French-style polka composed by Johann Strauss I.
It’s affectionately known as “Favorite Annen-Polka” or “Beloved Annen-Polka.” It is said to have been performed in celebration of the name day of Empress Maria Anna, wife of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria.
The empress was reportedly much loved by the people, and the German original title includes an adjective meaning “beloved.” This masterpiece features woodwinds with a gentle timbre that creates a soothing mood.
It’s also interesting that ten years later his son, Johann Strauss II, composed a polka with the same title.
Polka the Blacksmith
A French-style polka composed by Josef Strauss.
It’s fascinating that an anvil—an iron workbench used as an instrument, normally for placing heated metal during metalworking—is used as part of the piece! Commissioned for a safemaker’s ball and fireworks display, Josef is said to have composed a polka featuring the anvil to honor the blacksmiths who manufactured the safes.
Since this piece is included as a standard listening material for elementary school students, some people may have heard it.
The anvil’s “ching” sound is irresistibly humorous and serves as a distinctive accent in the music!
Thunder and Lightning
It’s a polka composed by Johann Strauss II, also known as “Thunder and Lightning.” The piece features many percussion instruments: the bass drum depicts distant thunder, and the cymbals represent lightning.
Although thunder might make us think of something eerie, this piece isn’t frightening at all—on the contrary, it’s light and enjoyable to listen to! It’s a great, high-energy tune that’s perfect as BGM for events like school sports days, and it’s also great to enjoy together with children.