He is considered the first Russian composer to achieve international recognition. Like many Russian composers of his time, he was of noble birth and engaged with music, so to speak, as a dilettante. He traveled to Italy, Berlin, and Paris, where he sought to integrate elements of Russian music with the harmonic practices he encountered there. His experimentation can be considered largely successful, as later Russian music forged new paths, taking Glinka as a model. This work can be counted as one of Glinka's late compositions, reflecting such a journey. It was composed in 1847, when Glinka was 43 years old. The title, Variations on a Scottish Theme, was given by Glinka himself. However, the original source of this piece is, in fact, a set of variations based on the famous Irish folk song "The Last Rose of Summer."

At the beginning of this piece, a poem by Batyushkov (1787–1855) is quoted: "Oh, memory of feeling! You are stronger than the sad memory of reason." This piece, in 3/4 time, begins with a six-measure introduction. Then, the familiar melody is sung over an accompaniment primarily based on chords. In the first variation, the accompanying chords are broken down into their constituent notes, and an inner voice is added to the melody. The subsequent second variation is marked legato assai and is primarily treated in three voices. Following this, a very large-scale finale is written in 6/8 time, marked vivace agitato, developing the music and bringing the piece to a close while varying the meter and primary rhythms.