Vaughan Williams was fond of the sound of the viola, for which he wrote Flos Campi in 1925. The soloist for the premiere of that work was Lionel Tertis, whose talent lead the composer to write for him this Suite for viola and orchestra in 1934. The suite comprises eight short pieces. The first one is a calm Prelude in neo-bachian style. The second, Carol, is a folksy melody sweetly accompanied by the orchestra. The third is a rustic Christmas Dance. The following Ballad has an almost Finziesque lyricism that for moments brings to mind The Lark Ascending. The fifth is a Moto Perpetuo. The sixth is a Mussette, a languid dance punctuated in the background by a metallophone. The seventh, a Polka Mélancholique, and the eighth, an extraverted Gallop.

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