NoteWorthy Composer Forum

Quite a few of you round here may remember the March competition that PJ organised and ran back in 2003 (I think)

Well,  PJ has agreed to run another competition.  This time, not for a march but for a Polka.

The rules are as follows :

1.  You must submit a Polka in the style of what would be traditional in the country that you now live in. The instruments should be appropriate to your tradition. If you live in a country that has no Polka tradition you may submit a rhythmic composition in 2/4.

2. It must be danceable.

3. You may submit either a new Polka that you have composed or you may notate an old one. If you submit an old one it must have been composed before  the year 1900.

4. The competition ends Saturday August 15, 2009.

5. Submit your entry to this special address.


B2222 at optonline dot net

The competition will conducted from the NoteWorthy Newsgroup but I will try to keep this community up to date.
If you are not currently a member of the newsgroup, you can find out how to join by visiting the NoteWorthy Software site at :
https://www.noteworthysoftware.com/newsgroup/signup.php (https://www.noteworthysoftware.com/newsgroup/signup.php)

Please note that you will need your registration information.

At the close of the competition, PJ will announce 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.  All submissions will be published on the Scriptorium on  a page devoted to the competition (similarly to the March competition).


Good Luck Folks.

Thanks PJ.

Just to let you know that the first competition entry is in.

PJ is providing prizes and so get your Polka dance steps going.  Submit your entries to :
B2222 at optonline dot net

PJ is keen that the good folks that use the forum but not the newsgroup should know the latest postings for the Polka competition.

So here are all of the newsgroup posts:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard Woodroffe 
Subject: THE FANTASTIC NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:10:07 GMT
--------

Quite a few of you round here may remember the march competition that PJ organised and ran back in 2003 (I think)

Well,  PJ has agreed to run another competition.  This time, not for a March but for a Polka.

The rules are as follows :

1.  You must submit a Polka in the style of what would be traditional in the country that you now live in. The instruments should be appropriate to
your tradition. If you live in a country that has no Polka tradition you may submit a rhythmic composition in 2/4.

2. It must be danceable.

3. You may submit either a new Polka that you have composed or you may notate an old one. If you submit an old one it must have been composed before
the year 1900.

4. The competition ends Saturday August 15, 2009.

5. Submit your entry to this special address.

B2222 at optonline dot net


The competition will also be announced on the NoteWorthy Forum but conducted from here.

At the close of the competition, PJ will announce 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.  All submissions will be published on the Scriptorium on  a page devoted to
the competition (similarly to the march competition).


Good Luck Folks

Thanks PJ.

Rich.
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Joe Roberts" 
Subject: Re: THE FANTASTIC NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:40:17 GMT
--------

Well, Florida, USA doesn't exactly have a Polka tradition.  Seminole,
Timucuan, Spanish, French, English, Confederacy, Disney, Sea World, and
lately Snowbirds (retirees fleeing the winter) and American Football mania
are everywhere.  But polkas?

The "country" we live in, here, is so removed from, say, the Wisconsin or
Pennsylvania 'deutsch' emigration that one would be hard-pressed to invent a
Florida-esque polka.  Furthermore, Frederick Delius lived just a half-hour
south of us on his American stint from England, and his "Florida Suite"
conjures misty rivers bordered by oak trees hanging with Spanish moss,
alongside orange groves.

...  Mmmm, maybe there's a polka in there somewhere.

Go for it!

Cheers,

Joe

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "peanutjake" 
Subject: Re: THE FANTASTIC NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:56:08 GMT
--------
Hi Joe:

Go to yahoo.com do a search for POLKA FLORIDA.
You will find a couple of thousand entries.

Good luck in the Competition.

PJ

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "peanutjake" 
Subject: Re: THE FANTASTIC NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:05:15 GMT
--------
Here is a list of Polka Radio Stations in Florida.

PJ
 FLORIDA

      STATION FREQ. CITY SHOW, DJ DAY, TIME

      WBAR 1460AM Bartow Ann Slack, Marian Geiger Saturday, 9:30-10AM
      WLVU 1470AM Dunedin Polka Pat Sunday, 11-Noon
      WKTO 88.7FM Edgewater Frank, Ruth Mlodzianowski Saturday, 3:30-5PM
      WLAZ 1190AM Fort Lauderdale Ela Gancarz Sunday, 9-10AM
      WSRF 1580AM Fort Lauderdale Bill Borek Sunday, 1-2PM
      WSRF 1580AM Fort Lauderdale Mirek, Anna Lobotcki Sunday, 9-10AM
      WVCG 1080AM Fort Lauderdale Ziggy Czarnecki Sunday, 6-7PM
      WWCN 770AM Fort Myers Phil Lipka, Brian Juntikka Saturday, 2-4PM
      WLBE  790AM Leesburg Polka Bandstand with Polka Jerry Saturday, 
10-11AM
      WCCZ 1550AM New Smyrna Beach Ron Luznar Sunday, 10-11AM
      WSBB 1230AM New Smyrna Beach Ron Luznar Saturday, 9-10AM
      WEJF 90.3FM Palm Bay Frank, Ruth Mlodzianowski Sunday, 4:30-6PM
      TV24 TW Cable St Petersburg John Jacob Thu Sat, 2:30-3PM
      WMNF 88.5FM Tampa Polka Party Express, Wackie Jackie Z. & Mrs. Wackie 
Sunday, 2-4PM
      WPIO 89.3FM Titusville Frank, Ruth Mlodzianowski Sunday, 4:30-6PM
      WPGS 840AM Titusville Jim Baumberger Sunday, Noon-1PM

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Joe Roberts" 
Subject: Re: THE FANTASTIC NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:06:09 GMT
--------

"peanutjake" wrote:

> Here is a list of Polka Radio Stations in Florida.

(... extensive list, snip for brevity -- please see PJ's post)

Egads, and a couple of those are right down the road.  There are thriving
Polka communities everywhere.

Joe

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "peanutjake" 
Subject: NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:54:47 GMT
--------
I hope that everyone is working hard on their entries to the Polka 
Competition.
There will be prizes to the winners. The competition ends August 15, 2009
PJ

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard Woodroffe 
Subject: Re: NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:26:48 GMT
--------
Well I have spent some time trying to find a suitable piece that fits in with the rules.

I cannot do this myself - so that's out.
I certainly don't have such a piece of music in my collection.

I have been searching for an English (or even British) composer who wrote a polka before 1900.

I have been searching in all of my usual sources of music on the net but so far, without any luck.
I shall continue but I have to admit that I am running out of ideas.

:(


Rich.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "peanutjake" 
Subject: Re: NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:53:44 GMT
--------
I guess it is ok to give a hint.

I did a search for Polka at the British Library.
Here is What I found.
http://tinyurl.com/l6whdt

For American Music try the Library of Congress.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/ListSome.php?category=Performing%20Arts,%20Music

Here is a major list of lots of places to find sheet music.
http://hcl.harvard.edu/research/guides/music/resources/digital.html


or you could compose your own Polka.

PJ

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard Woodroffe 
Subject: Re: NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:12:33 GMT
--------
Hi PJ

Thanks - I've never looked in the British Library before.

Having said that - there's still not that much of a choice.

Lothian Polka 
Dudley Castle  
Windsor Castle


That's it !

But I'll choose one - Cheers !


Rich.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "peanutjake" 
Subject: POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:04:38 GMT
--------
We have receive the first entry for the
NOTEWORTHY POLKA COMPETITION.

Richard Woodroffe has submited an English Polka.

Good luck Richard.

PJ

Here are the rules for the Competition.
Everyone is elegible to enter.

The rules are as follows :

1.  You must submit a Polka in the style of what would be traditional in the 
country that you now live in. The instruments should be appropriate to
your tradition. If you live in a country that has no Polka tradition you may 
submit a rhythmic composition in 2/4.

2. It must be danceable.

3. You may submit either a new Polka that you have composed or you may 
notate an old one. If you submit an old one it must have been composed 
before
the year 1900.

4. The competition ends Saturday August 15, 2009.

5. Submit your entry to this special address.

B2222 at optonline dot net 


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Lawrie Pardy" 
Subject: Re: POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:19:55 GMT
--------
G'day PJ,
I'd like a ruling if I may.

As a starting point I looked up Australian polkas and found a work called:
"The Australian Polka Mazurka"
Of course, it is in 3/4...  Would this be considered an acceptable entry?

As you may guess there doesn't seem to be much of a polka tradition in Oz.

If I can get my head around it properly, I'll also try to compose something
(in 2/4 of course), but don't hold your breath on that one.

Thanks mate,
Lawrie

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "peanutjake" 
Subject: Re: POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:07:48 GMT
--------
Absolutely good.
A Polka Mazurka is a combination of a Polka and Mazurka. Both excellent 
dances. A very acceptable entry.
There are many variants of the Polka and all are acceptable.
The only requirement for using another dance in 2/4 time is if there is no 
Polka tradition in your country.

PJ

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Lawrie Pardy" 
Subject: Re: POLKA COMPETITION
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:47:49 GMT
--------
Thanks mate.  I'll try to do a creditable job.

Lawrie

Slightly off topic, a bit of trivia.  Duke Ellington wrote one polka, called Klop, as part of his UWIS Suite, which he wrote during or for his residency at the University of Wisconsin.  It's a delightful little number, and before he composed it, he bought polka records to learn the style.

5 entries received so far for the competition.

Closing date 15th August.

Up to the end of the XIXth century, the folk music of my region was saltarello, manfrina, trescone etc.
Then, at the beginning of the XXth century, there was the sudden spread of waltz, mazurkas and polkas that completely (and I mean really completely) cancelled the previous tradition.

It's quite funny that our "local" folk is based on northern (form our point of view) rhythms.

Of course, the original rhythms were bent to the local taste so our folk music has an original feel.

That style is called "ballo liscio" (smooth dance) or simply "liscio".
The name comes from the fact that the dancers slide or rub the feet instead of jumping, so it was said they "go on smoothly" even if in reality there is also a kind of polka called "polca saltata" ("jumping polka").

Having said that, I should be in a good position to participate to the contest.

Halas, it's not so.
It's by far better if I refrain from trying to compose a polka myself, trust me!
And transcribing/arranging one of the good polkas of the tradition clashes with the fact that the musics are relatively recent so not yet in the public domain.

Add to this that my computer decided to "retire" himself (grrr...) and I have to use my faithful 486 with NWC for Win3.11...

I think I have to skip this contest.

Good luck, mates!

PJ writes in the newsgroup :

PJ reminds us in the Newsgroup :