“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.”
Ralph Vaughan Williams Transcription Series
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149339
Symphonic Series
for: Wind Band
Score
Item no.: 1149336
for: 2 pianos
Music score
Item no.: 771486
Centenary Edition 1972
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769684
Second Edition
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769538
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769540
Centenary Edition 1972
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 769687
Romance for violin and orchestra
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 769520
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 769529
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769518
Second Edition
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769523
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769515
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769531
10 sacred pieces
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 697125
Contemporary Choral Series
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 697067
from English Folk Song Suite, Mvt 3
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1583208
from English Folk Song Suite, Mvt I
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1583210
from English Folk Song Suite, Mvt 2
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1583209
Boosey & Hawkes Winter Music for Developing Choir
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Score
Item no.: 693925
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 693564
Sonderband
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 689799
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 689309
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1379537
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1378937
Transcription for Organ
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 684167
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 683632
for voice and orchestra
Hawkes Pocket Scores HPS 1570
for: Voice, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 682469
for: Mixed choir (SAB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1149417
for: Mixed choir (SATB), violin
Score
Item no.: 866990
for orchestra
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 679858
für Sinfonieorchester
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 678844
Set of parts for string sextet arrangement
for: Violin solo, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass (string quintet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 676695
for two violins, viola and cello
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 676691
Score for string sextet arrangement
for: Violin solo, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass (string quintet)
Score
Item no.: 676694
for two violins, viola and cello parts
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 676692
for orchestra
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 675143
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 674558
for: Full orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 876677
Music for String Orchestra
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1534068
for: Klarinettenensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 993976
Folk aus England
for: Baritone Voice and Mixed Choir [SATB]
Choir score
Item no.: 494594
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 479290
Music for String Orchestra
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 800833
Klassik
for: Woodwind Ensemble
Score
Item no.: 1101615
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 865726
Hinshaw Secular
for: SSAA, Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 901469
Geistliche Musik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 347176
Vocal Trios
for: Women's Choir [SSA] and Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 320461
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