Constant Lambert
A brilliant, self-destructive composer who almost single-handedly gave British ballet its musical backbone and swagger.
1905–1951 (age 46)·British composer and ballet director·Birthday: August 23·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Constant Lambert was a wunderkind whose talent burned fiercely and too fast. Recognized early by the likes of William Walton, he composed his jazzy, Stravinsky-influenced 'The Rio Grande' at just 21, making him a star of the British musical scene. His true legacy, however, was forged in the theater. As the musical director for the Vic-Wells Ballet (later The Royal Ballet), he was not just a conductor; he was an architect of sound. He championed contemporary scores, arranged existing music with a dramatist's flair, and insisted that music be an equal partner to dance. His own ballet scores, like the sprawling 'Horoscope,' were major events. A charismatic, hard-drinking intellectual, he wrote sharp criticism and moved easily among artists like Sickert and Dylan Thomas. But his health declined under the strain of overwork and dissipation, and he died at 45, having fundamentally shaped the sonic identity of English ballet.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Constant was born in 1905, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Constant Was Born
The biggest hits of 1905
Constant's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1905Born
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Started school
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1918Became a teenager
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could drive
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1923Could vote
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1926Turned 21
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1935Turned 30
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 40
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1951Died at 46
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
Key Achievements
- Appointed the first musical director of the Vic-Wells Ballet in 1931, a position he held for two decades, shaping the company's repertoire.
- Composed the choral and orchestral work 'The Rio Grande' (1929), a defining piece of the British jazz-age style.
- Wrote the book 'Music Ho! A Study of Music in Decline' (1934), a provocative and widely-read survey of contemporary music.
- Created the ballet scores 'Pomona' (1927) and 'Horoscope' (1938) for the company of his close collaborator, choreographer Frederick Ashton.
Did You Know?
He was the subject of a famous portrait by the painter Walter Sickert.
His father was the Australian-born painter George Lambert.
He conducted the premiere of William Walton's jazz-influenced 'Façade' suite.
He was a close friend of the composer and critic Cecil Gray, with whom he shared a passion for rare spirits and strong opinions.
““The trouble with music is that there is too much of it.””
