During the first half of the Twentieth Century, England produced numerous fine composers whose music today is rarely heard in other countries. A few, such as Edward Elgar (1857-1934), Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), and Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), have achieved wider recognition, but, for the most part, a large body of music has remained largely neglected in modern performances. Walton's work is in this category: the orchestral music, for instance, is seldom played, in spite of the existence of two impressive symphonies and important concertos for the violin, viola, and cello. As the standard masterworks continue to receive frequent performances, however, exploring the music of a lesser-known composer can be a rewarding diversification.
Walton's earliest important composition, Façade, was designed to accompany readings of some "experimental" poems by Edith Sitwell, an acquaintance of the composer's. The work, completed in 1922, is scored for a reciter and only six musicians, and features the quirky, highly stylized character pieces that were also popular among some Parisian composers of the time. Walton very skillfully captured the essence of each particular style: even while explicit parody is not usually the aim, the exaggerated clarity of the mimicry is itself frequently amusing. In 1926 and again in 1938, Walton arranged some of the numbers for larger ensemble, in the form of orchestral suites. Especially noteworthy are the Swiss jodelling song, through which wanders a misplaced tune from Rossini's overture to William Tell, and the Tarantella, Sevillana, where the conflicting rhythms create the atmosphere of a wild fiesta.