Polka de W.R.

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Polka de W.R. is a virtuoso piano arrangement of Franz Behr's Lachtäubchen (Scherzpolka) in F major.

Rachmaninoff wrote the arrangement on 24 March 1911, the day after the premiere of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom in Saint Petersburg.

Meanwhile, the left-hand plays a typical polka oom-cha rhythm with firstly a bass note and then a chord above.

This is followed by a further theme until the end, where there is an arpeggio in both hands, a tempo change to Meno mosso, a short, two bar phrase with a melody above and chords below.

Behr was given no mention in the published edition of Polka de W.R., and it was universally believed to be an original work of Rachmaninoff's until the late 20th century, when the true author of the melody was identified.