“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: Klarinettenensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 993976
Boosey and Hawkes Orchestra
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1212383
Sonderband
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 689799
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: 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
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 962215
Geistliche Musik
for: Unison Voices and Piano or Organ
Choir score
Item no.: 983005
for: Brass band
Set of parts
Item no.: 1143753
for: Brass band
Score
Item no.: 1145606
set of wind parts
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1211874
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 882746
from English Folk Song Suite, Mvt 3
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1583208
für Brass Quintet
Edition Maulwurf
for: 5 brass winds
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1684565
Paperback
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 893508
Hymnen und Choräle
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 890791
Paperback
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 889570
for: TBarB
Choir score
Item no.: 865943
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 941092
for: Cor anglais, piano
Single part Cor anglais
Item no.: 225133
SATB unaccompanied or solo unison and piano
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 929427
Belwin Intermediate String/ Full Orchestra
for: Symphonic orchestra [string orchestra]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 483500
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