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♫ Greatest All-
Inducted 2001
www.polkafame.com © National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, 605 East 222nd Street, Euclid, OH 44123, USA.
2001 GREATEST ALL-
“MOZART'S POLKA”
Composer: George Staiduhar,
Hit Recording:
"Polkas By George"
Peppermint Records TCS-
Best of Harry Faint PR-
1990
Time: 2:20
Other Recordings:
Steve Meisner
Walter Ostanek
Lynn Marie Rink
Gary Seibert
Fred Ziwich
Key: D, G, Ab
Musicians on Hit Recording:
George Staiduhar, accordion
Harry Faint, drums
John Zipay, saxophone
Bob McGuire, guitar and banjo
Gary Fisher, bass
George Staiduhar is an extraordinary accordion player who studied classical music
and practiced scales to master the accordon keyboard. He wrote Mozart's Polka in
1974, but did not record the song until 1989. The tune reflects his classical training.
The melody line recalls an overture George once played, but is not based on a Mozart
theme. He gave the polka the Mozart title because he liked the sound of it and the
composer. George played Mozart's Polka on a regular basis on jobs as a member of
the Harry Faint Revue. Two accordionists, Walter Ostanek and Hank Thunander, picked
up on the song, and began playing it in the 1980s. Fred Ziwich played and recorded
the song, but out of deference to George did not release it immediately.. Mozart's
Polka was released in 1990, with George's fancy-
George said, "The song did not have the impact at first, it was too new. Now it is our signature song."