“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: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1185347
King Of Love
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 950267
for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1004963
Paperback
for: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 920489
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 892608
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 890461
General
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, organ, timpani
Organ score, Parts
Item no.: 499361
Hawkes Pocket Scores HPS 59
for: 2 string orchestras
Study score
Item no.: 158307
A Dorset Song
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 187527
Brass Band Series
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
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for: Tuba, piano
Single part Tuba
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for: Bassoon, piano
Single part Bassoon
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for: Clarinet, piano
Single part Clarinet (B-flat)
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Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149335
Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149316
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031927
For Brass Instruments
for: Brass ensemble
Single edition
Item no.: 1121447
for: Concert Band/Harmonie/Fanfare/Brass Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 373980
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1017049
in E minor
from "Songs of Travel"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 896733
Brass Band Series
for: Brass band
Score
Item no.: 1149322
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 962215
Geistliche Musik
for: Unison Voices and Piano or Organ
Choir score
Item no.: 983005
Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149337
Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score
Item no.: 1149315
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
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Intermediate Series
for: Wind Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149333
Studies in Musical Genesis, Structure, and Interpretation
Book (Hardcover)
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Intermediate Series
for: Wind Band
Score
Item no.: 1149332
Choral Hymn for Saint Days
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Piano reduction
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Brass Band Series
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149318
for: Trumpet, organ
Score, part
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Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score
Item no.: 1149334
Brass Band Series
for: Brass band
Score
Item no.: 1149317
Paperback
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
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MusicWorks Grade 3
for: Concert band
Score
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Klassik
for: Mixed Ensemble
Einzelstimme
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Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score
Item no.: 1149336
for: Mixed choir (SAB), piano
Choir score
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for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
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for: Concert band
Score
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for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1005138
from Five Mystical Songs
for: Baritone, Choir Ad Lib. and Symphonic Band
Score, Parts
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for: Voice
Buch
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2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Timpani, suspended Cymbal
for: Choir
Set of parts
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The New Commonwealth
for: Concert band
Score
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for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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for: Concert band
Score, Parts
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