Constant Lambert was born in London and studied with Vaughan Williams at the Royal College of Music. In 1928 he became the first English composer to write a piece for the Ballet Russes, Romeo and Juliet, and this along with other early works, such as the Eight Poems of Li-Po, established him as one of the leading younger English composers. Much of his work was increasingly influenced by jazz, and aside from composition, Lambert was very much involved in the ballet world, conducting at Sadler's Wells and Vic-Wells. He was also a brilliant critical writer, publishing many books and articles. He died in 1951 aged 45.
