Richard Pennycuick wrote:

>I quickly did a mental check of some well-known C19 and C20 English
>composers and found Sirs Edward, William, Arthur, Malcolm and so on.
>There were others who missed out, for whatever reason - ...  But surely
>Vaughan Williams and Holst would be on most people's list of great British
>composers, but neither got to be knighted.  I imagine VW would not have
>been keen to keep saying, "It's pronounced RAFE!", but I remain intrigued.
>Is there a story here?

RVW turned down a Knighthood on, perhaps, two occasions.  He did, however,
receive the Order of Merit which is a far more important honour than a
Knighthood.  When you're being considered for an award, you get a letter
first to ask if you will accept it if officially offered.  If you say "No
thanks," you hear no more.  RVW would have said "No thanks." I presume he
just didn't like the idea.  Politics may have had something to do with it.

Tony Duggan, England.
Mahler recordings survey:
http://www.musicweb.force9.co.uk/music/Mahler/