“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, and explore all his master works 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.”
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A cantata for soprano and baritone soli, chorus and orchestra
for: 2 solo voices (SBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 334417
from Psalm 47
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 586944
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 478365
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 865345
form "A Garland for the Queen"
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 474303
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 492509
Music for String Orchestra
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 816028
Boosey and Hawkes Concert Band
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 191802
for: 2 solo voices (SBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 176271
10 sacred pieces
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 697125
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 479290
No. 1 of "Three Elizabethan Part Songs"
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 932300
Song for Chorus and Orchestra
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 361144
Symph. orch.
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 298464
for: Voice, violin
Music score
Item no.: 484702
for: Voice, piano
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 321743
Part song adapted from an old Air
Mit Klavierbegleitung zu Übungszwecken
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 430475
SATB unaccompanied.
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 932282
Klassik
for: High Voice, String Ensemble and Piano
Set of parts
Item no.: 982919
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SABar), piano
Score
Item no.: 982928
All People that on Earth do dwell
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 366719
for voice and orchestra
Hawkes Pocket Scores HPS 1570
for: Voice, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 682469
No. 2 of Three Elizabethan Part Songs. Text from Shakespeare’s Othello
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 620425
Klassik
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 982934
Klassik
for: Mixed Choir [SAB] and Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 983063
Klassik
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 983066
Klassik
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Score
Item no.: 884123
Geistliche Musik
for: SSAATTBB and Organ
Score
Item no.: 492849
Folk
for: Men's Choir [TTBB] and Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 560033
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 302237
Vocal Score
for: Voice
Piano reduction
Item no.: 901239
Novello Short Biographies
Boek (softcover)
Item no.: 321393
in C minor
from "Songs of Travel"
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 907828
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 910520
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 867605
Klassik
for: Tenor Voice, Mixed Choir [SATB] and Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 982661
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 962149
Boosey & Hawkes Winter Music for Developing Choir
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Score
Item no.: 693925
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1031921
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 138573
Old English Air
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 929615
Meredith Music Resource
for: Woodwind Ensemble
Book
Item no.: 1107706
Traditional Somerset
for: 2 soloists (TB), male choir (TTBB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 930781
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1056889
A dorset Song
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 346906
Two SATB choirs and semi-chorus
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 929634
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 932276
for: Tenor Voice and Piano Quintet
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1211476
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 982679
Studies in Musical Genesis, Structure, and Interpretation
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 870705
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