“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.”
Score and Parts
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 897873
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 892746
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 889666
Choral
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 897079
With Baritone Solo
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 904910
Choral
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 897095
Choral Large Works
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 899790
Scottish Folk Song
for: Solo T + SATB
Choir score
Item no.: 902149
Choral
for: SATB + Orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 903792
Choral
for: Mixed choir (SAB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 470471
Choral Large Works
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 135681
Choral
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 901098
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Score, Parts
Item no.: 354830
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354832
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354834
from "The Wasps"
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 354833
Paperback
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 893221
for: 2 violins, viola, 2 cellos (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 603425
A cylce of six songs
for: Voice (tenor), piano; 2 violins, viola, cello ad lib.
Piano score
Item no.: 635297
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 474285
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 213011
for: 2 string orchestras
Score
Item no.: 407288
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 320460
for: Recorder ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 549333
British Band Classics QMB 336
for: Symphonic Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 487298
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 187528
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 585989
for soprano soloist, SSA chorus, and piano A short movement from Vaughan Williams's Christmas cantata, 'Hodie'.
for: Soloist (soprano), women's choir (SSA), piano
Score
Item no.: 474289
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 123796
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 613410
for: Voice, piano
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 321743
No. 3 of 'Three Elizabethan Part Songs'
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 620426
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
for: Concert Band/Harmonie/Fanfare/Brass Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 373980
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.: 613408
for: 5 strings
Set of parts
Item no.: 262119
for: Voice (baritone), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 648473
for: Violin [cello], piano
Single part Violin
Item no.: 615893
Madrigalian Part–Song
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 619592
Orchestral version
(1914)
for: Voice (tenor), viola, string orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 637725
Goodmusic Concert Classics
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 634884
No. 2 of Three Elizabethan Part Songs. Text from Shakespeare’s Othello
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 620425
for: Soloist (baritone), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 602311
for: Soloist (baritone), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 208718
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