Polska Från Hälleforsnäs waltz

Simplified transcription of Magnus Holmström’s version - available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2M0H4_qa4A

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDIWYimBXvY

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This tune is not a waltz but a Polska. A polska is a popular type of tune (dance) in Swedish traditional music.

Hi Guy, we know it’s not a waltz - there’s quite a big clue in the title.
Since this site is concerned mainly with Irish music there isn’t a dedicated section for polskas so classifying under waltzes makes sense as the two tune types share the same time signature.

It’s also the second tune of the “Magnus Set” by Alex Kehler (nyckelharpa) and Nicholas Williams (flute).

https://youtu.be/jDJzpZ2fZew

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Definitely a POLSKA not a waltz but such a beautiful tune with interesting modal harmonic structure deserves to be shared internationally (my opinion) so….why not a waltz?

Swedish tunes are often set with an accompanying part. Here’s a two-part arrangement of this polska, which is a very well-known tune in the UK nyckelharpa-playing community. (The melody is the first four lines, and the accompaniment follow. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to lay them out as parallel staves. If someone can oblige . . . )

Quadriga Consort have also recorded this.

If enough of us request to have a polska category could we get one? I know the site is dedicated to Irish music - but slängpolskas and polskas really aren’t waltzes. If they’re allowed on an Irish site at all - then at least could we have this polska category?

It’s a question of whether people are really bothered - I’m not. There are other tunes in 3/4, like retreats, which are not waltzes either. There are also lots of 3/4 airs (Jerry Holland never thought of My Cape Breton Home as a waltz).

If I look up a tune on thesession.org I’m not doing so to find out what sort of tune it is and I find it hard to believe anyone else does so either.

How many Irish polskas have you heard ?