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Mon, 3 Jul 2000 00:49:54 +0100 |
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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/
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