Composed for violin and piano in 1914, and reworked for violin and orchestra in 1920, this is one of Vaughan Williams' most enduringly popular works. A serene romance, the work takes its title from a poem by George Meredith. The violin's magical evocation of the lark's 'chirrup, whistle, slur and shake', as it soars above the delicate accompanying textures, demonstrates the composer's mastery of the pastoral idiom.