DRUMMOND, JOHN — Speaking of Diaghilev

UK, Faber & Faber. 1997. Hardcover with dust jacket, 24 Cm. Book, 382 crisp pp & 800g to post. Diaghilev was a prime mover in the strand of modernism in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, encouraging the extraordinary explosion of energy from artists such as Stravinsky, Debussy, Picasso, Fokine, Cocteau, Satie and Nijinsky. How did Diaghilev exercise his enormous influence? By what combination of personal authority and inspiration was he able to fulfil his ambitious plans? And what is the aim of leadership in the arts today, when there are no more Diaghilevs? Attempting to answer such questions, this book has been written with the aid of interviews with many of the leading figures in the Diaghilev circle. The author has been Director of the Edinburgh Festival, and also of Radio 3 and the BBC Proms. The author? >>> Sir John Drummond has been involved in the Arts for forty years, making radio and television programmes, writing for publications and sitting on councils and committees. He was Director of the Edinburgh International Festival for five years, and Director of the Promenade Concerts for ten seasons. In charge of arts programmes on BBC2 in the 1970s, he was later Controller of BBC Radio 3. Excellent/Very Good.