Lambert, (Leonard) Constant (
b Fulham, London, 1905;
d London, 1951). Eng. composer, conductor, and critic. Ballet
Romeo and Juliet commissioned by Diaghilev and prod. Monte Carlo 1926. Series of brilliant works est. him with Walton among leading younger Eng. composers. Influenced by jazz, esp. Duke Ellington. His biggest success was with
The Rio Grande, a setting of Sacheverell Sitwell (1927). Took leading part in est. of British ballet, and made th. orch. version of Vaughan Williams's
Job, 1931. Cond. Camargo Society ballet 1930 and ballet and opera at SW, being mus. dir. Vic-Wells ballet from its foundation in 1931 until 1947, then mus. adviser SW Ballet from 1948. Cond. Purcell's
The Fairy Queen, in a vers. by him and E. J. Dent, at CG 1946, the first post-war prod. there. Brilliant writer, his book
Music,
Ho! (1934) being an important and idiosyncratic commentary on contemporary mus. at that date. Witty conversationalist. Notable narrator in Walton's
Façade with Edith Sitwell. Champion of mus. of
Boyce, several of whose works he arr. Also advocate for Liszt when it was unfashionable in Eng. to admire him. Prin. works:BALLETS:
Romeo and Juliet (1924–5);
Pomona (1926);
Apparitions (orch. of Liszt) (1936);
Horoscope (1937);
Tiresias (1950–1).INCID. MUSIC:
Jew Süss (1929);
Salome (1931);
Hamlet (1944).ORCH.:
Champêtre (1926);
Elegiac Blues (1927, orch. of pf. piece);
Music for Orch. (1927); pf. conc. (1931);
Aubade héroïque (1942); incidental mus. for
Hamlet.CHORAL:
The Rio Grande, pf., ch., orch. (1927);
Summer's Last Will and Testament, bar., ch., orch. (1932–5);
Dirge (from
Cymbeline), ten., bar., male ch., str. (or pf.) (1940).VOCAL: 8
Poems of Li-Po, v., pf. or 8 instr. (1926–9).PIANO:
Pastorale (1926);
Elegiac Blues (1927, also orch.); sonata (1928–9); 2
pièces nègres pour les touches blanches, 4 hands (1949).
