Sea Songs (arr Longfield)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (arr. Robert Longfield)
General Info
Year: 1924 / 2006
Duration: c. 4:15
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Baritone
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Cymbals
- Snare Drum
- Triangle
Errata
None discovered thus far.
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’ Folk Song Suite.
- Program Note by Nikk Pilato
Originally this setting of folk songs was the fourth movement of Vaughan Williams' famous English Folk Song Suite. Now considered a separate work of its own, here for the first time is an arrangement playable by younger bands. Including Princess Royal; Admiral Benbow and Portsmouth, all the charm and character of the original has been authentically preserved in this outstanding setting.
- Program Note from publisher
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: John Hershey High School Symphonic Band (Scott Casagrande, conductor) - 2007
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- South Pointe Middle School (Walnut, Calif.) Wind Ensemble (Susan Willmering, conductor) - 12 February 2016 (2016 CASMEC Conference, San Jose)
- Goderich (Ontario, Canada) Laketown Band – Spring 2009
- John Hershey High School (Arlington Heights, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Scott Casagrande, conductor) – 20 December 2007 (2007 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Folk Songs from Somerset (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
- My Bonny Boy (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
- Seventeen Come Sunday (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
All Wind Works
- Concerto for Bass Tuba (arr. Wick and Chambers) (1954/1992)
- Concerto Grosso (arr. Grechesky) (1924)
- Concerto in F minor for Tuba and Winds (arr. Hare) (1954/1992)
- England's Pleasant Land (arr. Noble) (1938/2017)
- English Folk Song Suite. See: Folk Song Suite
- English Folk Song Suite (arr. Villanueva) (1924/)
- Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (arr. Bocook) (1910/2006)
- Fantasia on Christmas Carols (arr. Laughlin) (1912/2016/2020)
- Fantasia on Greensleeves (arr. Wagner) (1934/2011)
- Five English Folk Songs (arr. Feldman) (1913/2009)
- Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" (arr. Gregson) (1939/2004)
- Flourish for Glorious John (orch. Boyd) (1957/1998)
- Flourish for Wind Band (1939)
- Folk Song Suite (1924/2008)
- Folk Songs from Somerset (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
- The Golden Vanity (arr. Wagner) (1933/2009)
- I Vow to Thee, My Country (as setter; ed. Grechesky) (1921/1988)
- Lark Ascending, The (tr. Silvester) (1914/1925/2003)
- Linden Lea (arr. Wagner) (1902/2013)
- Linden Lea (arr. Stout) (1902/1984)
- The Lowlands of Scotland (arr. Daehn) (1912/2006)
- March Past of the Kitchen Utensils (arr. Erwin) (1909/2010)
- My Bonny Boy (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
- Norfolk Rhapsody (tr. Robert O'Brien) (1905)
- Norfolk Rhapsody No. 2 in D minor (tr. O'Toole) (1906/2014?)
- Overture to "The Wasps" (tr. Frank Hudson) (1909)
- Prelude, 49th Parallel (arr. van der Beek) (1960/2018)
- Prelude: 49th Parallel (arr. Noble) (1941/2014)
- Prelude: 49th Parallel (arr. Winkler) (1941/1960)
- Prelude from "49th Parallel" (tr. Osmon) (1941/1960/1987/2002)
- Prelude on Three Welsh Hymn Tunes (arr. Curnow) (1954/1982)
- Prelude: The New Commonwealth (arr. Grauer) (1940/2006)
- A Ralph Vaughan Williams Portrait (arr. Wagner) (2018)
- Rhosymedre (tr. Beeler) (1920/1972)
- Rhosymedre (tr. Johnston) (1920/2011)
- Rhosymedre (tr. Baldwin) (1920/)
- The Running Set (arr. Daehn) (1933/2007)
- The Running Set (tr. Silvester) (1933)
- Scherzo alla Marcia (1956)
- Sea Songs (1924)
- Sea Songs (arr. Longfield) (1924/2006)
- Seventeen Come Sunday (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
- Sine Nomine (arr. Cacavas) (1906/1998)
- Sine Nomine (arr. Houseknecht) (1906/1960)
- Sine Nomine (arr. Reed) (1906/1976)
- Songs of Travel (arr. Patterson) (1901-4)
- Three Dorset Songs (arr. Stotter) (1902-1903/2003)
- Three Studies in English Folk Song (arr. Harbinson) (1927/1999/2003)
- Toccata Marziale (1924)
- Toccata Marziale (ed. Battisti) (1924/2005)
- Variations for Wind Band (trans. Hunsberger) (1957/1988/1997)
- A Vaughan Williams Christmas (arr. Wagner) (1999)
- Wassail (arr. Smith)
Resources
- Vaughan Williams, R.; Longfield, R. (2006). Sea Songs [score]. Boosey & Hawkes: New York.