lambert was appointed in 1931 as conductor and music director of the vic-wells ballet (later the royal ballet), but his career as a composer stagnated. his major choral work "summer's last will and testament" (after the play of the same name by thomas nashe), one of his most emotionally dark works, proved unfashionable in the mood following the death of king george v, but alan frank hailed it at the time as lambert's "finest work". lambert himself considered he had failed as a composer, and completed only two major works in the remaining sixteen years of his life. instead he concentrated on conducting, working closely with the royal ballet until his retirement in 1947. he continued to be featured as a guest conductor until shortly before his death in 1951.