Tritsch-Tratsch Polka

Johann Strauss Jr

General Info

Year: 1858 / 1998
Duration: c. 2:40
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C L Barnhouse Company
Cost: Score and Parts - $65.00 | Score Only - $5.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Bells
Snare Drum
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Alfred Reed's bright and lively arrangement of this famous Strauss classic is the perfect encore piece! Totally audience friendly, it also gives the director a chance to expose their students to the "popular" music of another culture and time. A great change of pace for any concert or rehearsal, it's a winner from the first note to the last! Absolutely perfect for adult community band concerts!

- Program note by publisher

As Sousa wrote in many other forms than the march, so Johann Strauss, Jr. composed many works that were not waltzes. Tritsch-Tratsch is a polka. It has an opus number of 214 and was composed after Strauss spent a summer in St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia. “Tritsch-tratsch” is best translated as “chit chat.” Perhaps Strauss was giving a gentle hint to all the audience members who talked through his concerts.

- Notes by John Fleming for the Allegheny College Band Camp for Adult Musicians

Tritsch-Tratsch Polka is a polka written by Johann Strauss II in 1858 after a successful tour of Russia where he performed in the summer concert season at Pavlovsk, Saint Petersburg. The title may be interpreted as “chit-chat” and may refer to the Viennese passion for gossip. Strauss may also have been referencing the single act burlesque Der Tritsch-tratsch which premiered in 1833 and was still in the stage repertoire when the polka was written. Many point out that the title may also have meant his first wife’s poodle, also named Tritsch-tratsch, but this etymology remains unsubstantiated as well. The mood of the piece is jaunty and high-spirited, as were many of Strauss’ polkas.

- Program Note by the Buchholz High School Wind Symphony concert program, 17 December 2014

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: Philharmonic Wind Orchestra (Mark Reift, conductor) - 2008

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

The Ohio State University (Columbus) Collegiate Winds (Dustin Ferguson, conductor) - 29 September 2022
University of Louisville (Ky.) Community Band (Jason Cumberledge, conductor) - 18 February 2019
Vienna (VA) Community Band (Cornelius Young, conductor) - 8 March 2015
Buchholz High School (Gainesville, Fla.) Wind Symphony (Larry H. Lang, conductor) – 17 December 2014 (2014 Midwest Clinic)
Allegheny College (Pa.) Band Camp for Adult Musicians (Michelle Rakers, conductor) - 14 June 2013
Philippine Youth Symphonic Band (Arnaldo N. Custodio, conductor) - 6 December 2009

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

The Blue Danube (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Deterling) (1866/2020)
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shiraiwa) (1858/ )

All Wind Works

An der schönen blauen Donau (arr. Van der Beek) (1866/2010)
Annen-Polka (arr. Kitano) (1852/2011)
Auf der Jagd (arr. Kalischnig) (1875/?)
Aufzugsmarsch (arr. Stevenson)
The Blue Danube (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Deterling) (1866/2020)
Blue Danube Waltz (arr. Leidzen) (1866/1941)
Caroussel-Marsch (arr. Stevenson)
Der Zigeunerbaron Overture (tr. Nefs) (1885/2012)
Die Fledermaus (arr. Suzuki) (1874)
Die Fledermaus (tr. Niese) (1874/2003)
Die Fledermaus Overture (arr. Cailliet) (1874/1946)
Egyptischer Marsch (arr. Kalischnig) (1869/?)
Eine Nacht in Venedig Ouvertüre (arr. Wagner) (1883/1993)
Einzugsmarsch (arr. Hautvast) (/2007)
Élgen a Magyár! (tr. Lubaroff) (1869/2004)
Emperor Waltz (arr. Bullock) (1888/2003)
Emperor Waltz (arr. Smeets) (1889/1999)
Freikugeln (arr. Kalischnig) (1868/?)
Im Sturmschritt (tr. Nefs) (1871/2019)
Jubelfest Marsch (arr. Kalischnig)
Leichtes Blut (arr. Hautvast)
Leichtes Blut (arr. Kitano)
Leichtes Blut (arr. Wagner)
A Night in Venice (arr. Walters) (1883/1964)
Perpetuum Mobile (arr. Carros) (1861/1995)
Perpetuum Mobile (arr. Reed) (1861/2001)
Perpetuum Mobile (arr. Niese) (1861/2010)
Persian March (arr. Leidzen) (1864/1937)
Persischer - Marsch (arr. Kalischnig) (1864/)
Pizzicato Polka (with Josef Strauss) (1869/1909)
Pizzicato Polka (with Josef Strauss; arr. Kitano) (1869/2006)
Pizzicato Polka (with Josef Strauss; arr. Remsen) (1869/1992)
Prozess-Polka (arr. Stevenson)
Reiter Marsch (arr. Kitano) (?/2011)
Rosen aus dem Süden (arr. Kitano) (/2007)
Russischer Marsch (arr. Kalischnig)
Spanischer Marsch (arr. Kitano) (/2011)
Theme from Emperor Waltz (arr. Johnson) (1888/1993)
Thunder and Lightning Polka (arr. Daehn) (1868/2014)
Thunder and Lightning Polka (arr. Reed) (1868/1999)
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka (arr. Hautvast) (1858/2010)
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka (arr. Reed) (1858/1998)
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shiraiwa) (1858/)
Unter Donner und Blitz (arr. Wagner) (1868/1992)
Vergnügungszug (arr. Kalischnig) (1864/?)
Vergnügungszug (arr. Wagner) (1864/1992)
Voices of Spring (arr. Martinus) (1882/1998)
Waltz Time with Johann Strauss (arr. Cacavas) (2008)
Waltzing with Strauss (arr. Kalischnig)
Zigeunerbaron Overture (arr. Patterson) (1885)

Resources

Strauss, J.; Reed, A. (1998). Tritsch-Tratsch Polka = Chit-Chat Polka: Op. 214 [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.