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The Britsh critic Richard Buckle dies


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One of the last Diaghilevians. Estelle put up lots of links to British obits on Links. Was anyone a reader of Buckle? I have his collection, and some of his reviews are among the funniest I've ever read. I cherish one where he imagines himself the village weakling while watching the dangerous acrobatics of a visiting folk dance troupe. There could also be a nasty undertone to his work as well.

Comments on Mr. Buckle and his passing?

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I was always a big fan of Richard Buckle - I think everyone was when he was writing. As Alexandra says, he was extremely funny, but there was a lot of thought behind what he said - usually! I had no idea what he looked like until I saw the photo in one of the obituaries, and it wasn't the way I had always imagined him.

Several of his reviews stick in my mind - I remember he said that watching Fonteyn's face as Odette was like making "a journey of the soul". That was one of his serious moments. To be as entertaining as he was, and also as observant, imaginative and well-informed, is a very rare thing.

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I just happened upon this thread -- it's 2 years old already -- but I have to say that the relationship between Dicky Buckle and Edwin denby has been a continuing inspiration to me. What Denby wrote for Buckle is perhaps hte freest, most intoxicating, poetic writing he ever did about dancing and its appeal.

Buckle was the first critic I read that had the kind of enthusiasm I felt for the ballet, and i read him rather the same way I read Thomas Mann or listened to Tchaikovsky -- it was a pleasure I would not want to have to defend, for I might incriminate myself, the agreements go SO deep.

"Ballet must be beautiful!!"

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At the risk of repeating myself---I will! Richard Buckle is still tops for me for having put out the best ballet periodical I have ever looked forward to with baited breath! It was printed in England, came out once a month and was the same size as the current 'Ballet Review'. I had a collection of the various issues, and I still rue the day when I sold them to a ballet shop in NY.

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oh atm711, I have to mourn with you, what a shame you don't still have those copies of "Ballet" -- I've never seen an issue, but I've certainly seen articles reprinted from it, and they were absolutely first-rate! Denby outdid himself, he wrote as if to his best friend, and is most like a poet in those pieces -- everything else seems guarded by comparison. And Buckle himself....well, his style is indescribable, but the point is it was HIS way of saying what he wanted to say, and though it was flamboyant, it was transparent -- like Sargent's way of painting.

ANd i'm sure the magazine was beautiful -- -- beautiful like Dance Ink wanted to be (and often was).

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Paul, it truly was a beautiful magazine--wonderful glossy photographs. I had a full three years worth of the issues---I am not sure how long it was published. But I tell you, he kept us here in the States fully informed on what was happening in Europe after The War. We were especially interested in France and the rise of Roland Petit and his company. The pictures of Fonteyn in 'Demoiselle de la Nuit', Babilee in 'Oedipus' and "Le jeune mort' and Jeanmaire in 'Carmen' were glorious. When they finally arrived on our shores we were ready for them.

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