Research Catalog

Title

The polka on 19th-century music covers [graphic].

Publication

[184-?-186-?]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Concanen, Alfred.
• Coindre, Victor, active 1838-1860.
• Graf, C.
• Maguire, H. C., active approximately 1850-1880.
• Sarony, Napoleon, 1821-1896.
• J.H. Bufford & Co. ltg
• Sarony & Major. ltg

Description

14 prints : lithograph, col. and b&w; 35 x 26 cm. or smaller.

Summary

Illustrations from the covers of sheet music intended for performance in the home. Although these music scores (not included in this collection) are all compositions based on the musical form called the polka, the illustrations range from dancers in folk costume to ballroom dancers in formal evening attire, to theatrical performers in costumes of different styles. Two examples do not depict dancing at all: the Rachel polka honors the French actress Rachel, who is portrayed in costume striking a theatrical attitude. The illustration for The mermaid polka depicts the mermaids in their watery habitat, apparently with no thought of dancing.

Subjects

• Ballroom dancing > 19th century
• Sheet music covers
• Rachel, 1821?-1858
• Lithographs
• Polka (Dance)
• Dance > 19th century

Genre/Form

• Sheet music covers.
• Lithographs.

Indexed In (note)

• Chaffee, George, "American music prints of the Romantic ballet," Dance index, vol. I, no. 12, Dec. 1942

Source (note)

• Lincoln Kirstein.

Biography (note)

• The variety of images in this collection demonstrates the enormous popularity of the polka, both as a dance and a musical form. Although opinions about its origins differ, it is believed to have roots in Poland or Bohemia. It was brought to Prague in 1837 and made its way to Vienna, St. Petersburg, Paris, and London. Capitalizing on its growing popularity as a ballroom dance, Jules Perrot and Carlotta Grisi introduced it to the ballet stage in 1844. In the mid 1800s, it rivalled the waltz as a dance craze. It has survived into the twenty-first century, and until 2009 was included as a category in the Grammy Awards.

Contents

The Cally polka arranged by Allen Dodsworth, and taught by him at his dancing academy; New York, Firth, Hall & Pond, 1846 / Bufford & Co.'s Lith., Boston -- Cinq polkas pour le forte piano, arrangés composés et dédiés ... par Camille Schubert; London, R. Cocks, [1844] / on stone by R.P.C. -- Marriott's Jog along boys polka, as performed by his band ... ; London, [publication data trimmed off] / Alfred Concanen del. -- Mermaid polka, by H.D. Hewitt; New York, Wm. Hall & Son, 1850 / Lith. of N. Sarony -- Musidora, célèbre polka-mazurka composée pour piano par Adrien Talexy; Offenbach, Jean André, [1853?] -- Old Bob Ridley polka; London, J. Williams / Concanen & Lee -- The Parisian polka, composed ... by Carlo Minasi; London, S. Nelson / C. Graf Lith. -- Polka flamande pour le piano par Charles Voss; Paris, Brandus / Victor Coindre -- The polka quadrilles, with the proper figures, arranged for the piano forte by Stephen Glover; London, C. Jefferys, [1845?] / H.C. Maguire del. et lith. -- The polkas (Camelia, Alpenhorn, und Teufels polka), pour le piano par Ferd[inand] Beyer, Op. 51; Boston, Oliver Ditson -- Rachel polka, composed by George R. Cromwell; New York, Cook & Brother, 1855 / [image] copied from the original heliograph illustrating Rachel's biography by permission of John Darcie -- The real polkas ... composed & arranged for the piano forte by Ricardo Linter; London, D'Almaine / H.C. Maguire lith. -- Ringlet polka, composed for the piano ... by Charles Blasius; Philadelphia, Geo. Vogt, 1855 -- The Terpsichora polka, composed ... by Cha[rle]s Milsom Jun[io]r; [New York, Firth, Pond] / Lith. of Sarony & Major, N.Y.

Call Number

*MGZFD Pol 4-17

OCLC

792807500

Title

The polka on 19th-century music covers [graphic].

Imprint

[184-?-186-?]

Indexed In:

Ringlet polka Chaffee, George, "American music prints of the Romantic ballet," Dance index, vol. I, no. 12, Dec. 1942, p. [212], cat. no. 97.

Biography

The variety of images in this collection demonstrates the enormous popularity of the polka, both as a dance and a musical form. Although opinions about its origins differ, it is believed to have roots in Poland or Bohemia. It was brought to Prague in 1837 and made its way to Vienna, St. Petersburg, Paris, and London. Capitalizing on its growing popularity as a ballroom dance, Jules Perrot and Carlotta Grisi introduced it to the ballet stage in 1844. In the mid 1800s, it rivalled the waltz as a dance craze. It has survived into the twenty-first century, and until 2009 was included as a category in the Grammy Awards.

Local Note

Cataloging funds provided by Friends of Jerome Robbins Dance Division.

For another copy of Cinq polkas, with music score, see: *MGZFX Pol 1.

This item may be offsite for digitization. For additional information please contact dance@nypl.org.

Source

Marriott's Jog along boys polka Gift; Lincoln Kirstein.

Connect to:

NYPL Digital Collections

Added Author

Concanen, Alfred. Lithographer

Coindre, Victor, active 1838-1860. Lithographer

Graf, C.

Maguire, H. C., active approximately 1850-1880. Lithographer

Sarony, Napoleon, 1821-1896. Lithographer

J.H. Bufford & Co. Lithographer

Sarony & Major. Lithographer

Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996. Donor

Research Call Number

*MGZFD Pol 4-17