“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.”
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1149324
for: Flute, harp
Book
Item no.: 994065
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 768416
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 187528
A Dorset Song
for: Women's choir (SS), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 910007
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 585989
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1385215
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1004975
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 613410
From 'Folk Songs of the Four Seasons'
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 893877
Paperback
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 893221
Paperback
for: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 889460
Folk
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Book
Item no.: 885809
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1078250
for: SATB, opt Unison Voices, Congr., Organ, Brass Quartet, Handbells, Timp
Choir score
Item no.: 1093657
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149327
for: SATB, Congr, Organ, opt Handbells, Brass Quartet or Quintet, Timp
Choir score
Item no.: 915523
A Choral Fanfare
for: SATB, Assembly and Organ
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1159246
for: Brass band
Score
Item no.: 1143584
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077258
QMB 336
for: Symphonic Band
Score
Item no.: 892974
Choral
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 897095
Quarter Military Band QMB 446
for: Symphonic Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 899875
Hymnen und Choräle
for: Men's Voices
Choir score
Item no.: 321679
A Dorset Song
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 471272
for orchestra score and set of parts (incl. 4-4-3-4-2 strings)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 605069
Goodmusic Concert Classics
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 951685
For orchestra
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 660694
Piano duet
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 628327
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 620374
for: Wind Band
Score
Item no.: 463354
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 613408
for: Choir
Study score
Item no.: 478368
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 894370
Hymnen und Choräle
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 893368
for: Choir
Piano reduction
Item no.: 474284
ALB
For high voice and piano. From the romantic ballad opera Hugh The Drover.
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 189883
for: 5 strings
Set of parts
Item no.: 262119
for: Voice (baritone), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 648473
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 889399
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Choir score
Item no.: 882935
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149329
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077732
for: SATB, Keyboard [Organ or Piano] or Orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1004856
for: SATB, Congr, Organ, opt Handbells, Brass Quartet or Quintet, Timp
Score
Item no.: 1095050
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077653
Orchestral version
for: Tenor, Viola and String Orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 642173
for: SA, Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1094001
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