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!
- [Classics] Famous waltzes: recommended popular pieces
- [Irish Folk Songs] Surprisingly Familiar Masterpieces and Standards of Ethnic Music
- Masterpieces of Celtic music. Recommended Irish music.
- Famous Western songs everyone knows: a roundup of classic tunes you’ve heard somewhere before
- [Tango] Famous Tango Songs: Recommended Popular Tracks
- [Nostalgic Collection] Classic oldies masterpieces. Recommended popular songs
- [Hymns] Famous hymns and sacred songs. Recommended hymns and sacred songs.
- Everything is stylish! Popular music in France
- Famous German folk song | That Japanese tune was actually a German folk song?!
- Also great as café music! Introducing famous tunes to savor the charm of musette
- Fado masterpieces. Recommended popular songs.
- Recommended Latin Music | Introducing Stylish Masterpieces
- [Western Music] Upbeat and cute songs by female artists
Polka masterpieces. Recommended popular songs (11–20)
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!
Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka
It’s a famous polka often heard at school sports days, so you’ve probably come across it at least once.
“Tratsch” means “gossip” in German, and pairing it with “Tritsch” creates a playful, onomatopoeic feel that is said to evoke street chatter and idle talk.
Back in the day, there was apparently a magazine called “Tritsch-Tratsch,” similar to today’s weekly tabloids, that ran celebrity gossip.
Its light, glamorous sound and rhythm are distinctive! It’s perfect for sports day playlists and also a great recommendation for anyone listening to polka for the first time.
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.
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.
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!