Digging through two crates that I haven't accessed in a while, I found a number of polka (or polka-related) sides I'd almost forgotten. These include the very first vintage polka 78 I ever thrifted: Podloteck-Polka of 1927. I remember at the time (about 25 years ago) being surprised by the smooth, expert, and "symphonic" sound of the selection (and its flip). However, after having heard many selections in the same vein, it no longer sounds quite so exotic--just brilliantly performed and pleasing. At any rate, this time we start back in the year 1904 or 1905--the Spanish Tipical Girl polka by the Columbia Mexican Band--and travel through 1909 and the early 1920s to John Wilfahrt's 1930 Aunt Ella's Polka.
I'm tempted to conclude that the earliest mainstream polka music was, like Wilfahrt's music, German in style, but I really can't make such a broad generalization from my own 78-rpm stash. Therefore, I won't.
Some off-the-beaten-trail numbers for today: The Czech Trio from Prague (drums, violin, accordion) with a stylistically spare polka and polka-sounding march (to support Dave's observation that polkas and marches are closely related, which they are); Albert Roussell's turn-of-the-century Lerhone et la Saone--Polka, as performed in 1909(?) by the Banda de Artilleria, and Leonard Gautier's Le Secret, also composed during the late 1800s. Though not designated as a polka, Le Secret is about as close to a polka as any non-polka can conceivably sound. And La Tipica has me hoping that I find more Spanish polkas from the early 20th century.
Speaking of typical, the remaining selections are the "usual" Polish, German, and Swedish (Klackjarns Polka) sort, with the aforementioned John Wilfahrt's 1930 "oom-pah-pah" Aunt Ella's Polka taking us into the commercial period of polkas--i.e., when polkas went from specialized ethnic music into the pop mainstream.
Meanwhile, Nejde To means "It's not working" in Czech, and the 1922 "Victor-Orchester" selection (conducted by Nathaniel Shilkret!) Why Have a Pretty Garden is a German polka which I'm simply guessing means something closer to, The Reason for Having a Pretty Garden. As for Nejde To, your guess is as good as mine.
And I forgot to mention the Vienna Civic Brass Band's 1909 Fruhlingstag (Spring Day) polka, which was recorded in Austria. The opening grooves of this selection were damaged by (most likely) a loose gramophone soundbox, but the audio quickly recovers.
Possibly the most charming selection in our list is the Columbia Scandinavian Orch.'s Kalckjarns--exceptional sound quality for 1916, too. In the context of the early recording industry, polkas occupy an interesting place: Whereas cakewalks and rags are generally considered the earliest examples of syncopated popular music, polkas (and, for that matter, waltzes and obereks) were just as likely to feature accented "weak" beats, and sometimes even more interestingly.
So, dance, drink, or just sit and enjoy today's helping of polkas past. (Polkas past??)
DOWNLOAD: Vintage Polkas, Pt. 2!.7z
Podlotek--Polka--Kapalka i Jego Orch. (6/20/1927)
On the Windmill Polka--Czech Trio from Prague (9/13/1910)
Klackjarns Polka--Columbia Scandinavian Orch. (Oct. 1916)
Krakowianka Polka--Orkiestra Ulenskiego (6/15/1928)
Fruhlingstag (Spring Day)--Polka--Vienna Civic Brass Band (June 1909)
Give Me a Kiss--Polka--Kapalka i Jego Orch. (6/20/1927)
My Little Horse--Czech March--Czech Trio from Prague (9/13/1910)
Nejde To--Polka--Czech Orchestra (December 1921)
Marynia Polka--Polska Orkiestra Columbia (approx. June 1923)
Srubka Polka--Same (June 1923)
Tipical Girl (La Tipica)--Polka (Spanish)--Columbia Mexican Band, leader: Carlos Curti (1904 or 1905)
As for Marjance So It Is for Zvonu--Polka--Prince's Military Band (Between 1907 and 1910)
Baruska--Polka--Edw. Krolikowki i Jego Radjowas Orkiestra (10/3/1929)
Beloved Country--Polka--The Merry Four (1924?)
Why Have a Pretty Garden--Polka (German)--Victor-Orchester, Male Trio, c. Nathaniel Shilkret (9/20/1922)
Lerhone et al Saone (Polka)--Banda de Artilleria (1909?)
Le Secret--Vessella's Italian Band (1/16/1914)
Aunt Ella's Polka (German)--John Wilfahrt's Concertina Orch. (11/2/1930)
Lee
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