Anatoly Lyadov
Diaghilev first approached the Russian composer Anatoly Lyadov in September 1909 to write the music. There is no evidence that he ever accepted the commission, despite the anecdote that he was slow to start composing the work. Nikolai Tcherepnin composed some music for the ballet (which he later used in his "The Enchanted Kingdom"), but withdrew from the project without explanation after completing only one scene. After deciding against using Alexander Glazunov and Nikolay Sokolov, Diaghilev finally chose the 28-year-old Stravinsky, who had already begun sketching the music in anticipation of the commission.