Rhythm: Polka

Kaj mi nuca planinca (Slovenian folk song) [Sheet music]

This is a Slovenian folk song which is played as an upbeat polka, which roughly translates to “What can I do if I can’t get to the mountain, what can I do if I can’t get to my girl” (based on its lyrics rather than the title alone, for better context). Avsenik’s recording was one …

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Na ples – Auf zum tanz (J. Burnik) [Sheet music] [Accompaniment track]

This is a polka by legendary Slovenian accordionist Jože Burnik who recorded this song with Alpski Kvintet (Alpenoberkrainer) in the late 1970s or early 1980s. It is typically played in a quintett but this is my solo accordion arrangement played to the baritone and guitar track recorded by Brian Pavlic from Canada (baritone) and myself …

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Šikana Polka – Fast Polka (P. Grivic) [Sheet music]

Šikana Polka (translates from Slovene to ‘Fast Polka’) was written for the diatonic button accordion (Slo: Diatonična harmonika, Ger: Steirische harmonika) by Peter Grivic, a fellow Slovenian-Australian who I’ve had the pleasure of performing with many times in our trio Alpski Muzikantje (Alpen Musikanten). Peter has had a successful musical journey, performing for many Alpine/Oberkrainer …

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Flott aufg’spielt (E. Moser) [Sheet music] [Play-along audio]

This is Erich Moser’s most popular polka, Flott aufg’spielt, which roughly translates to ‘Playing quickly’. Erich Moser was an amazing steirische harmonika (diatonic button accordion) player from Austria, who was well known for his great technical skills and many unique, beautiful melodies like Kleiner Spatz am Dach, Walzer fur harmonika, and so on. Unfortunately Erich …

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Sommerfest Polka (M. Wiener) [Sheet music] [Tutorial]

This is an instrumental by Manfred Wiener, baritone and bass player for the former Kathreiner Musikanten from Austria. The Kathreiner Musikanten recorded many interesting and beautiful songs, particularly their instrumentals, many of which were composed by Manfred Wiener, including ‘Ferientage’. In recent years some of their songs have seen a resurgence in the Alpine/Oberkrainer music …

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