Part of the Divertimento for Strings consists of themes from a Serenade for Strings written in 1947; but their 1954 re-working is so extensive as to constitute a fresh piece, with a fresh title. The title suggests lightness of content and by tradition a relaxed "open-air" mood. Several details confirm this, notably the freedom of the form, the bouncing rhythms, the caressing effect of doubling melodies in thirds and sixths (or sometimes in complete triads), and two passages of open-string sounds distinctly suggestive of the tuning-up of a country dance-band. There is an influence of the lively rhythmic motifs characteristic of Slavonic and Czech music, and an extensive use of polyphony, including a double canon in the last section.

The Divertimento is in one continuous movement in ternary form with a short introduction before the exposition - allegro. Three ideas are heard in fairly rapid succession near the start, the first rhythmically active and like a flourish, the second employing timpani-like fourths, the third a gem of a tune which extends itself into a fuller retatement. A motif, heard in the violins in the introduction, recurs at the coda in the double basses. All three ideas recur and are developed in a fairly easy-to-follow manner. The "fourths" idea expands to incorporate the passages of rustic tuning-up mentioned. An andante cantabile provides a brief lyrical episode, after which further recurrences of the three themes are heard, in varied order, and with a climactic feeling generated by increased contrapuntal activity. The coda gives a richly festive completion to the work.