10/29/2016

BobDylanandSirCharlesSantley|ClassicalMusic.com

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BobDylanandSirCharlesSantley
BobDylansreceiptoftheNobelPrizeforLiteratureisreminiscentofaforgotten
landmarkinBritishmusicalhistory,saysAnnaMariaBarry
14October20162:17pm

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YesterdayitwasannouncedthatBobDylanistherecipientofthisyearsNobelPrizefor
Literature.Thisbreakssharplywithtradition,asDylanisthefirstsongwritertobeawardedthis
literaryprize.
ThemajorityofcommentatorshavecelebratedDylansreceiptofthishonour,arguingthathis
lyricsrepresentpoetryofsubstantialculturalsignificance.Ontheotherhand,detractorshave
arguedthatthatDylanswordsdonotrepresentliterature,withsomeevenquestioningclaimsof
thesingersculturalimportance.ThesedebatesbringtomindaforgottenlandmarkinBritish
musicalhistory.109yearsagoanothersingerwasgrantedacontroversialhonour.

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In1907theBritishoperasingerCharlesSantley(18341922)celebratedhisjubileeyear,which
markedthe50thanniversaryofhisfirstpublicappearance.Overthecourseofhislongcareerthe
LiverpudlianbaritonehadappearedextensivelyinbothItalianandBritishopera,aswellasbeing
celebratedforhisskillinoratorio.

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Laterinhiscareerhefocusedincreasinglyontheconcertstage,establishinghimselfasthe
leadingballadsingeroftheperiod.Santleywasalsoamajorinternationalcelebrity.Heperformed
extensivelyacrossEuropeandAmerica,alsotouringAustralia,NewZealandandSouthAfrica.He
waswellknowntothepublicasagreattraveller,penningtwobestsellingautobiographieswhich
detailedhisadventuresaroundtheworld.Santleysjubileewascelebratedwithagalaconcertat
theRoyalAlbertHall,attendedbythegreatandgoodofsociety.However,festivitiesreachedtheir
peakwhenhewasawardedaknighthoodbyKingEdwardVII.Butwhywasthissuchalandmark
event?

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BritishOperasingerSirCharlesSantley

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10/29/2016

BobDylanandSirCharlesSantley|ClassicalMusic.com

Santleysreceiptofthishonourwasgreatlysignificant,ashebecamethefirsteversingerto
receiveaknighthoodinBritain.Thiswasaremarkableachievement,markingarealchangein
attitudestowardsmusicalmen.Atthebeginningofthenineteenthcenturyitwouldhavebeen
unthinkableforasingertobehonouredbytheestablishmentinthisway.
InGeorgianEnglandsingerswerelargelythoughtofasbohemiananddisreputabletheatrical
personalities,fitforentertainingtheestablishmentbutnotenteringit.Singerswereoftenslapped
downinthepressiftheypresumedontheiraristocraticpatrons.Justoneexampleisthe
controversythateruptedwhentheBritishtenorJohnBrahamdaredtoasktheDukeofSussexto
beGodfathertohissonin1821.ThoughtheDukegraciouslyaccepted,newspaperswerefilled
withoutragethatabrotheroftheKingwouldassociatewithameresinger.

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Overthecourseofthenineteenthcentury,attitudestowardssingersgraduallystartedtochange.
ManycreditedthisshifttoSantley,includingajournalistwritingforTheTimeswhoarguedthatthe
baritonehaddoneamansshareinproducingasanerattitudeonthepartofthepublictowards
singers.

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AfterSantleysknighthoodwasannounced,debateerupted.Thoughthemajoritysupported
Santleysknighthood,therewerestilldetractorswhofeltthatameresingershouldnotbeadmitted
totheeliteechelonsofsociety.Nevertheless,Santleysreceiptofthishonourmarkedareal
turningpoint.Itrepresentedthesingerstransitionfrombohemianoutsidertorespectedartist.
HerewemightseeaparallelwithDylan,whosereceiptoftheNobelPrizecanbeseenasmarking
histransitionfromcounterculturalrebeltoestablishmentartist.ThoughSantleysknighthoodhas
beenlargelyforgottenbyhistorians,itwasneverthelesssignificant.Santleypavedthewayfor
singerswhofollowedinhiswake.
Today,ofcourse,singersarehonouredfrequentlyfromSirTomJonesandSirMickJaggerto
DameJulieAndrewsandDameShirleyBassey.OnewondersifSirPaulMcCartney(wholater
attendedthesameschoolasSantley)knowsthedebtthatheowestohisfellowLiverpudlian.We
mightseeDylansNobelPrize,likeSantleyshonour,asrepresentingachangeinthewaysin
whichsingersarecelebrated.
AnnaMariaBarryisawriterandculturalhistorian.SheiscompletingaPhDonnineteenthcentury
operasingersatOxfordBrookesUniversity,wheresheisamemberoftheOBERTOOpera
ResearchUnit.YoucanreadmoreaboutherworkonherwebsiteandfollowheronTwitter:
@AnnaMariaB87.IntheJanuaryissueofBBCMusicMagazine,Annawillbediscussingthe
extraordinaryBritishmenwhosangoperainthe19thcentury.
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