Gerald Finzi composed his Violin Concerto in 1925–27, his earliest extended work for orchestra, written while he was still in his mid-twenties for the young violinist Sybil Eaton. Its two later movements were first heard on 4 May 1927 at Queen's Hall, London, and the complete three-movement work received its premiere the following year, on 1 February 1928, again in Queen's Hall, with Eaton once more as soloist and Ralph Vaughan Williams conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. Finzi originally titled the piece Concerto for Small Orchestra and Violin Solo, reflecting the intimate, chamber-like scale of the orchestration, which lends the work a transparency and lyrical warmth distinct from the grander symphonic concertos of the period. Vaughan Williams, who conducted that complete premiere, brought his own experience to bear on the scoring, refining aspects of the orchestration, particularly the string writing, and contributing tempo indications that reflect the performance practice of the day.

The concerto unfolds across three movements, moving from an animated opening through a lyrical, deeply felt slow movement to a spirited finale, and shows the young Finzi already in full command of the melodic and pastoral idiom that would define his mature style. The solo violin writing is elegant and songful rather than overtly virtuosic, favoring long, expressive lines over flashy display, while the light orchestral scoring allows the soloist's voice to remain constantly at the forefront throughout. Long overlooked after its early performances, the concerto has since been recognized as a genuinely distinguished and deeply personal example of English string writing from the interwar years, and this score and set of parts offers orchestras and soloists a wonderful opportunity to bring a rare and rewarding piece of the British violin repertoire, shaped in part by two great figures of English music, back to the concert platform.