I found myself gliding down a musical spiral today, as I was searching for a specific genre of music that is defined by a key rhythm. Knowing that a lot of dance based music (like the bachata) have unique rhythms, I first found myself wandering around in the world of tap dancing, hoping that the exquisite tap rhythms would be the answer to finding a defining rhythm. This then brought me over to Irish tap dancing, which led me to the Irish Jig, and then somehow I wound up researching about (you’ll never guess this) the polka. Fascinated by this occasionally talked about dance form, I started to look into the style and rhythm of music the polka presented, and was quickly blown away by the history of how it was formed. The polka was originated in the Czech Republic and is said to have been based off of the waltz, both in dancing style and in musical rhythms. It is played all over Europe and is especially known out in the Midwest regions of America. One such state that has officiated the polka as its state dance is Wisconsin, coining the polka as the “Soundtrack of Wisconsin”. Traditional polka rhythm is played in cut time or 2/4 (2 beats per measure), giving the music a more lively spring than what is heard in the waltz. The drums provide the main rhythm, while instruments such as the accordion, saxophone, clarinet, and trumpet are played over the 2/4 beat to create an overall jovial sound. The bass drum is hit on beats one and two while the high hat and the snare is hit on all the ands. Overall the defining rhythm creates this continuous 1and 2and beat that is played at a consistent tempo.You can hear the rhythm very clearly in the famous polka song "Beer Barrel Polka". The rhythm helps to make polka music very joyous and cheerful, causing people to want to dance and skip around happily. The gleeful polka music brings people together, causing them to clap along to the catchy beat and dance the night away, without a care in the world.
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