“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: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 886531
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354834
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1060414
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 474301
for: Unison Voices and Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 865816
Faber Brass Band Series
for: Tuba, brass band
Score, Parts
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for: Alt oder Bariton
Music score
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for: Concert band
Score
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for: Men's Choir [TB] and Piano
Choir score
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for: Organ
Score
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for: Concert band
Score
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for: Choir
Choir score
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for: Choir
Choir score
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Faber Brass Band Series
for: Tuba, brass band
Score
Item no.: 1651343
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 792228
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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Alister McAlpine's Lament
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1060508
for: Brass band
Set of parts
Item no.: 1143981
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1037804
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1060598
für Brass Quintet
Edition Maulwurf
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1677573
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354832
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 865899
for: Mixed Choir and Organ or Piano
Choir score
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Paperback
for: Choir
Choir score
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for: Violin [cello], piano
Single part Violin
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for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
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for: Voice, piano
Music score
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Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
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4-5 Octaves of Handbells Level 3
for: Handbell
Choir score
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Quarter Military Band QMB 234
for: Concert band
Score
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GIA Evoking Sound
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1158423
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354833
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
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for: Choir
Choir score
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Performance-Easy Limited Edition
for: Marching band
Score
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for: 2 pianos
Music score
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Suite
for: Piano
Music score
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for: 2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone, Tuba and Timpani
Set of parts
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for: Handbells [3-5]
Single edition
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for: Concert band
Score
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Quick March
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
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for: Choir
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for: Brass band
Set of parts
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for: Brass band
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set of wind parts
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
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