“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.”
Second Edition
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 608522
Paperback
for: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 894008
for: Mixed choir (SABar), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 780822
Second Edition
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769523
für Sinfonieorchester
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 678844
Music for String Orchestra
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 800833
English Traditional
for: SSA, Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 902901
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1005147
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077485
for: Unison Voices, Brass Ensemble, Handbells, Timpani, Organ
Buch
Item no.: 913442
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 865726
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077953
Klassik
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 900082
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077434
Score and Parts
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 897873
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Score, Parts
Item no.: 354830
Boosey and Hawkes Quarter Military Band
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 377287
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149325
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1379537
for: Choir
Piano reduction
Item no.: 584150
from 'Folk songs of the Four Seasons'
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 894430
10 Secular Pieces
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 865109
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 620373
for solo viola, small SATB wordless chorus, and small orchestra
for: Viola (solo), mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 474286
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 889335
for: KLAR HRN VL VC KLAV
Score, Parts
Item no.: 334701
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 243438
Festival Choral
for: Male choir (TTB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 801541
Choral Large Works
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 135681
H.T. Fitzsimons Co
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 550664
Second Edition
for: Soloist (soprano), women's choir (SSA), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 611572
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 321707
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1149328
for: SATB, opt Unison Voices, Congr., Organ, Brass Quartet, Handbells, Timp
Score
Item no.: 1094901
for: Congregation, SATB, Organ, Brass Quartet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 916058
Two Hymns by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1059802
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077784
for: Klarinettenensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 994557
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1041835
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1382668
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1385640
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Brass band
Score
Item no.: 1149326
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 474293
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 468403
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 185290
for string orchestra score and parts (8-8-5-5-5)
The Highland/Etling String Orchestra Series
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 661602
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 561170
Klassik
for: Men's Voices
Choir score
Item no.: 488612
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