It was given its premiere on 21 April 1956 by the Louisville Orchestra under the conductor Robert Whitney, both to whom the work is dedicated.
[1] This is Carter's next major work after his first String Quartet[2] Variations for Orchestra has a duration of roughly 24 minutes and consists of twelve connected movements comprising an introduction, a theme, nine variations, and a finale: The work is scored for an orchestra comprising two flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times wrote, "[Carter's] goal was to write a work of exhilarating variety.
Indeed, one way to listen to this piece is to forget everything about the theme-and-variations form and revel instead in the boldly contrasting moods, harmonies, colors and characters of the music.
One occasionally has the sensation that all of the variations are being played at once; the mind focuses on the slow diminution of one passage and the sudden importance of another, as if a world were changing before one's ears.