Sea Songs

From Wind Repertory Project
Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams


General Info

Year: 1924
Duration: c. 4:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $90.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo Flute
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Clarinet I-II
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III-IV
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Baritone
Basses
Percussion (4 players) including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Snare Drum
  • Triangle


Errata

In Parts:

  • C Flute and Piccolo, m.19: First four notes should be 16th notes.
  • Horn in F I, reh. D: There should be no key change.

In Score and Parts:

  • E-flat Clarinet, m.58: Upper note should be printed C.


Program Notes

Written in 1923 for the following year’s Wembley Exhibition, Sea Songs is a march medley of three well-known sea shanties: Princess Royal, Admiral Benbow, and Portsmouth. Written in typical march form with a trio, it was published simultaneously for brass band and wind band, and was later transcribed by the composer for symphony orchestra. It should be noted that Sea Songs was originally intended to be the final movement of Vaughan Williams’s Folk Song Suite.

- Program Note by Nikk Pilato


Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)


State Ratings

  • Texas: IV. Complete


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) 5 O'Clock Concert Band (Jason Reznicek, conductor) - 25 February 2024
  • Kennesaw State University (Ga.) Wind Symphony (Daniel Lee, conductor) - 21 February 2024
  • Kansas State University Wind Symphony (Rich Ebersole, conductor) - 28 November 2023
  • Indiana Wind Symphony (Carmel) (Jay Gephart, conductor) - 1 October 2023
  • Cleveland (Ohio) Youth Wind Symphony Group II (Timothy Reynish, conductor) – 2 March 2023
  • Northwest Wind Symphony (Centralia, Wash.) (Dan Schmidt, conductor) - 21 January 2023
  • River Valley Wind Ensemble (Kankakee County, Ill.) (David Conrad, conductor) – 30 October 2022
  • Rockford (Ill.) Wind Ensemble (Ken Goodman, conductor) - 23 October 2022
  • San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (Jennifer Martin, conductor) – 19 March 2022
  • Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Chris Kaatz, conductor) - 16 November 2021
  • Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Tx.) Symphonic Band (David Robinson, conductor) - 14 November 2021
  • Collinsville (Ill.) High School Wind Ensemble (Alfredo Deleon, conductor) - 14 October 2021
  • Stuttgart (Germany) Symphonic Youth Wind Orchestra (Alexander Beer, conductor) – 20 July 2021
  • Oneonta (N.Y.) Community Concert Band (Andrew Pease, conductor) – 18 April 2021
  • Kennesaw (Ga.) State University Wind Symphony (Debra Traficante, conductor) – 12 April 2021
  • Florida State University (Tallahassee) Concert Band (Steven Kelly, conductor) – 16 November 2020
  • Andrews University (Berrien Spring, Mich.) Wind Symphony (Byron Graves, conductor) – 24 October 2020
  • Carroll Community Wind Ensemble (Carrollton, Ga.) (Terry Lowery, conductor) – 22 October 2020
  • Baylor University (Waco, Texas) Wind Ensemble (Hannah Morrison, conductor) – 2 March 2020
  • Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) Symphonic Band (Kirk Saville, conductor) – 26 February 2020
  • Kent (Ohio) Roosevelt High School Wind Ensemble (John Roebke, conductor) – 23 February 2020
  • Highlands Intermediate School (Pearl City, HI) Symphonic Band (John Iyoki, conductor) - July 2009


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources