BALANCHINE’S MODERNIST MANIFESTO

Haggin, B.H.

Ballet Chronicle [Stiff Wraps Issue in Dust Jacket]

New York: Horizon Press, 1970.

The primary critical and visual record of the Balanchine era, documenting the New York City Ballet's golden years from 1947 to 1969. 

This volume functions as a manifesto for modernist ballet, pairing Haggin’s uncompromising criticism with 250 high-quality action photographs. This specific issue in stiff wraps represents the more accessible trade variant of this massive work, maintaining the high production standards and photographic clarity of the cloth edition while offering a lighter, more tactile alternative for the working dance historian.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Features 250 action photographs capturing the height of the New York City Ballet. 
+++ Binding: Original stiff white card stock wraps; stable and square. 
+++ Dust Jacket: Pictorial jacket preserved in a clear, archival Mylar protective sleeve. 
+++ Imprint: Horizon Press, New York, 1970. 
+++ Specs: 10.25 inches tall; 223 pages.
+++ Provenance: From the private estate of Ben Raeburn, founder and publisher of Horizon Press. This copy was held within the Raeburn archive since its publication in 1970.

CONDITION: Very Good Hardcover in a Very Good Dust Jacket.
+++ The Book: The bindings are tight and square. The stiff card stock wraps remain clean but show a paling white appearance with light age-toning concentrated along the perimeters. The internal text block and photographic plates are clean and bright.
+++ The Jacket: The dust jacket is protected by a Mylar sleeve. It shows light shelf handling wear but remains vibrant, benefiting from the archival protection.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE --

B.H. Haggin was the foremost advocate for the New York City Ballet, and 'Ballet Chronicle' is his definitive statement on the company's significance. By curating decades of performance into a single narrative, Haggin effectively wrote the history of American ballet as it was happening.

While this issue lacks the Raeburn association of other copies, it remains a primary source-text for the era. The inclusion of an ISBN (first introduced in 1970) marks this as a specimen of the first wave of modern bibliographic standards in the arts.

While the book captures the same era explored in documentaries like 'Balanchine' (2004), it remains the primary source-text for the critical history of the New York City Ballet.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Balanchine Advocacy: Documents Haggin's role as the primary critical voice for George Balanchine, framing the development of the NYC Ballet as a revolutionary movement in American art.
+++ Photographic Record: Serves as a primary visual census of mid-century dance, including rare action shots of Jerome Robbins and other foundational figures.

SUBJECTS: George Balanchine, NYC Ballet, Dance History, Horizon Press, Ben Raeburn, Publisher's Archive, Jerome Robbins, Dance History, 1970s Art Books.

Item #21919
ISBN: 0818004029

Price: $45.00