“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: SATB, opt. Congregation and Organ
Einzelstimme
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In C
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Music score
Item no.: 1212423
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Music score
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Einzelstimme
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Einzelstimme
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Einzelstimme
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for: Brass band
Score, Parts
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King Of Love
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
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A Cycle of six songs
for: Tenor Voice and Orchestra
Study score
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for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
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Adapted from the opera "Sir John in Love"
Belwin Symphonic Band
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
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Score, Parts
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for: Concert band
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for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
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for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
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for: Concert band
Score, Parts
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Score, Parts
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for: Voice
Buch
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for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
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for: Full orchestra
Study score
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for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: 2 pianos
Score
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for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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SATB
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 855702
for: SATB, Congr, Organ, opt Handbells, Brass Quartet or Quintet, Timp
Set of parts
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for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
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for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
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for: Male choir
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King Of Love
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
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for: 4 soloists (SATB), 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
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for: Organ
Music score
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for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon (wind quintet)
Score, Parts
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for: 2 string orchestras
Study score
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A Dorset Song
for: Voice, piano
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General
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, organ, timpani
Organ score, Parts
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for: Choir
Choir score
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for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 889666
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 663876
for: String orchestra
Einzelstimme
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for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
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for: Mixed choir (SSATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
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for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
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for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
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for: Choir
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