This volume investigates the definitive performance history and structural evolution of William Walton’s Viola Concerto. The editor provides a comprehensive examination of the work's two distinct orchestrations, tracing the composer's original 1929 vision alongside his 1962 revisions. By incorporating the specific editorial contributions of Frederick Riddle, the text establishes a scholarly framework for understanding the work's idiomatic performance practice.

Experts and musicologists regard this volume as a primary resource for performers seeking to understand the authentic performance traditions of Walton's concerto. The inclusion of critical notes and historical facsimiles makes this an authoritative reference for both academic study and professional orchestral preparation.