Pfeiffer Polka

Robert Stolz (1880–1975) hardly needs an introduction. He was a successful composer and conductor from Graz. Among the highlights of his career were two Oscar nominations. His extensive body of work has still not been fully explored. Many of his melodies, however, remain unforgettable to this day, and his work as a conductor—especially in the genre of Viennese music—has been immortalized on countless recordings. What made his work so special was succinctly captured by Marcel Prawy as follows: “Unlike Johann Strauss II or Franz Lehár, Stolz is a composer whose music can withstand any arrangement, capable, as it were, of wearing any suit: his music sounds magnificent whether performed by a philharmonic orchestra, sung by a world-class tenor or a jazz singer, or played by a band, a guitar, a zither, or solo piano. The importance of arrangement makes this man from Graz the American among the masters of European music.”¹ In close collaboration with Clarissa Henry and the Edition Rex, as well as Hans Stolz and the Astoria Musikverlag, new arrangements for wind orchestra will be created from 2026 onward. The aim is to establish the works of Robert Stolz as a permanent part of the repertoire in this genre as well.

The present edition presents a delightful polka by Robert Stolz. In the catalog of works compiled by Stephan Pflicht, the “Pfeiffer Polka” is listed as an unpublished work; however, there is an arrangement by the well-known arranger Karl Grell. This arrangement was recorded under his direction with the Großes Wiener Rundfunkorchester and released on CD (title: Robert Stolz – Evergreens & Manuskripte).