“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: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 894008
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1002398
for: SATB + Orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 903792
for: Tenor, Viola and Piano
Book
Item no.: 351073
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 327999
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077434
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077953
for: Unison Voices, Brass Ensemble, Handbells, Timpani, Organ
Buch
Item no.: 913442
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077485
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1005147
for: Male choir (TTB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 801541
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
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for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1149325
10 Secular Pieces
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 865109
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 550664
for: Soloist (soprano), women's choir (SSA), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 611572
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 900082
for: Viola (solo), mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 474286
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 620373
for: Choir
Piano reduction
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for: Voice, piano
Music score
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for: Choir
Choir score
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Choir score
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for: Concert band
Score, Parts
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for: KLAR HRN VL VC KLAV
Score, Parts
Item no.: 334701
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 135681
for: Blockflöten (SAT), Schlagwerk und Klavier; Glockenspiel und Xylophon ad libitum
Score, Parts
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for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 865726
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 377287
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1379537
for: Congregation, SATB, Organ, Brass Quartet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 916058
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077784
for: Klarinettenensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 994557
Two Hymns by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
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for: String orchestra
Score
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Score
Item no.: 1149328
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Score
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for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 185290
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769515
for: SATB, opt Unison Voices, Congr., Organ, Brass Quartet, Handbells, Timp
Score
Item no.: 1094901
for: Piano
Music score
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for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
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for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 474293
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 920444
for: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 894495
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 683632
for: SATB, Congregation, Organ and Handbells
Choir score
Item no.: 1058193
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1041835