“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: Handbells [2]
Single edition
Item no.: 1320352
for: Congregation, SATB, Organ, Brass Quartet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 916058
Alister McAlpine's Lament
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1060381
Two Hymns by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1059802
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077784
for: Handbells [3]
Single edition
Item no.: 1099280
for: Klarinettenensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 994557
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1041835
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 910520
Folk
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 945811
for: Unison Voices and Organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 866663
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 791323
for: Voice (high)
Buch
Item no.: 987629
King Of Love
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 950662
Goodmusic Concert Classics
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 951689
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1212276
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077350
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077405
for: SATB, opt. Congregation and Organ
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 913789
Klassik
for: Voice
Choir score
Item no.: 835263
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 904563
Geistliche Musik
for: Blechbläserquartett
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1204915
Cantata
for: Soloist (baritone), orchestra; women's choir (SSAA) ad lib.
Piano reduction
Item no.: 930703
Bb
for: Cello
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1051714
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 892029
In C
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1212423
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 931505
No. 1 of "Three Elizabethan Part Songs"
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 932300
Concert Classics Series
Single part Viola
Item no.: 949850
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077263
Adapted from the opera "Sir John in Love"
Belwin Symphonic Band
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 745096
MusicWorks Grade 3
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1021036
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 865345
for: Fanfare
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1190455
King Of Love
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 950267
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077951
SATB unaccompanied or solo/unison and piano
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 930142
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077006
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1060886
SATB
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 855702
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon (wind quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 931741
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1094373
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077712
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1078102
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1004963
for: Brass band
Set of parts
Item no.: 1145634
for: Voice
Buch
Item no.: 1085698
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 930026
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