My orchestration for small orchestra of the piano score of this polka by Johann Strauss I. The “small orchestra” bit is to allow comparison with his son’s Herzenslust Polka, Op. 3 which I did a while ago. The two pieces were written within a few months of each other.

I think this polka still has a Czech rather than Viennese feel to it. I kept thinking of Smetana.

Apart from the Radetzky March, this polka was one of my earliest introductions to the music of Johann Strauss I as I had the lovely Boskovsky recording. Unfortunately, it took me a while to realise this as the recording had the piece credited to Johann Strauss II. The reissues still do!