Karol Namysłowski or A. Humpfat | The Clarinet Polka (1890)
"The Clarinet Polka" or "A Hupfata" is a popular musical composition from the end of the 19th century. Since 1971 it has been used as an opener in Lato z Radiem − one of the most popular shows of Polskie Radio Program I. The piece, performed (as its name implies) as a polka, has a simple and catchy melody, featuring a prominent extended eight-note arpeggio. It is typically performed in B-flat major.
1890-05-05 15:00:00 - Music Video
The Clarinet Polka has a wild history!
Some fans of folk music may tell you that the Beer Barrel polka is the most famous polka in the world. To that, we say…there is another! The Clarinet Polka is known the world over for possessing one of the most infectious folk melodies ever created. Its upbeat, twirling nature is synonymous with the polka genre, and its simple brilliance has inspired numerous modern renditions. Every clarinetist worth their chops has been inspired to play this at some point in their career.
It is odd, then, that (after more than 100 years in existence) the compositional authorship of this beloved tune should still be so hotly contested. The Clarinet Polka is believed to have been written by Polish composer Karol Namysłowski, originally titled “Dziadunio Polka” (after the Polish word for “grandfather”).
However, many folk music historians (along with hosts of the popular Polish radio show “Lato z Radiem”, who use the song as an intro to their broadcasts) claim the song was not penned by Namysłowski at all! They insist that the polka in question was composed years earlier in Austria (not Poland) by a composer named A. Humpfat.