“I suppose it never occurs to people that a man might just want to write a piece of music.” Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Vaughan Williams is famous for his invigorating nautical symphonies, breath-taking songs, dreamy yet visually powerful concertos, as well as his rousing, majestic choral music. Browse our sheet music and scores, take a look at our Vaughan Williams Sheet Music Downloads, and explore the wide world of Vaughan Williams today!
His work is particularly important due to his intense preoccupation with the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as the collection and publication of English folk songs, which significantly influenced his work, and played a big role in the revival of English classical music at the turn of the century.
His best known songs are the Songs of Travel based on poems by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1907. With A Sea Symphony, Vaughan Williams’ first symphony saw its premier in 1910, which laid the foundations for English symphony in the 20th century.
His most popular works include Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis for two string orchestras (1910) and The Lark Ascending for violin and small orchestra (1914). When asked about “The Lark Ascending” his second wife Ursula said: “He took a literary idea on which he based his musical thoughts... and let the violin become both the song and the flight of the bird, instead of simply illustrating the poem from which the title was taken.”
Vaughan Williams was also a prolific Film Music composer, and his 7th symphony, the Sinfonia Antartica, was inspired by his film score for “Scott of the Antarctic”.
Alongside his musical talents, Vaughan Williams also had a keen sense of humour. The title quote “It never seems to occur to people that a man might just want to write a piece of music” was Williams’ answer to the question of whether his music for the 6th Symphony was meant to be programmatic.
When questioned by a musician in a rehearsal for his Symphony No. 4 in F Minor about a note which seemed relatively dissonant, Vaughan Williams replied: “It looks wrong, and it sounds wrong, but it’s right. I don’t know if I like it, but that’s what I meant.”
Vaughan Williams when discussing Richard Wagner and his operas: “Wagner used to read the libretti of his operas to his friends; I am glad I was not there.”
And of opera and its overtures, Vaughan Williams said: “The audience is requested not to refrain from talking during the overture. Otherwise they will know all the tunes before the opera begins.”
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 169568
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 483878
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354836
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1378937
for: Choir
Score, Parts
Item no.: 891554
Flute and piano
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 123603
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1149338
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 920246
Belwin Concert Band
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 692547
MusicWorks Grade 3
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 469775
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 891223
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 949597
SATB
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 856759
Centenary Edition 1972
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769684
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 901916
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1078243
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 895000
for: 4 trombones (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1479693
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1158315
Klassik
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 225815
from the Aristophanic Suite "The Wasps"
for Woodwind Choir
for: Woodwind ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 318382
for: 2 pianos
Music score
Item no.: 613403
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 620369
for: Voice, piano
Buch + CD
Item no.: 133490
Score for string sextet arrangement
for: Violin solo, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass (string quintet)
Score
Item no.: 676694
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 891015
Paperback
for: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 889526
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 693564
(3 Elizabethan Songs 2)
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 484720
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1381435
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1381306
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1384615
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Buch
Item no.: 586583
Choral Programme Series
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 474499
for: Cor anglais, string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 225909
Windependence
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 905566
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769518
for: SATB, opt Descant, opt Congr, Organ, opt Oboe or C or B-flat Instr.
Choir score
Item no.: 912354
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149331
Choral
for: SATB + Orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 903792
Fred Bock Publications
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1002398
Symphony No.3
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 327999
Bb
for: Piano
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1051715
Bb
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1049692
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 430018
for: Tenor, Viola and Piano
Book
Item no.: 351073
Arrangement for tenor tuba and piano
for: Tuba, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1192873
for unison voices and piano or string orchestra
Item no.: 332905
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