Nice! I just sang Ol' Man River two days ago, June 2nd, 2024, at Fox Hilll retirement community in Bethesda, Maryland, but I went down to an E2, which ends on a D4. When I sang Ol' Man River at a retirement community in the Washington DC area around 2011, a particularly powerful performance. On the way out an elderly gentleman stopped me and said he was a student at Rutgers University and then added that that was the best Old Man River he had heard since he heard Paul Robeson sing it at Rutgers in the 1940s!
Everything Roderick Williams sings is superbly sung. So what if he is not a bass? He has expansive pitch and dynamic ranges and a pallet of vocal colors that very few singer have, and he is musical, intelligent, and sincere. His diction is flawless. He is versatile because he sings FROM the music and the text, not from his ego, and has the technique to execute and deliver his outer voice, as his internal voice summons, with the proper balance of intellect, emotion, and style.
Wow! Majestic vocal talent. Magnificent. Stunning in delivery and technique. Words are insufficient to describe. Orchestra and setting just the cherry on top. Kudos to all involved!
Please upload this version to BBC available for purchase. It is the most stunning version I have ever heard. I live in Tennessee and want to enjoy Roderick William’s talent
🤔Great Performance. Being from the South I lived in Baton Rouge for a while RIGHT NEXT TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER... ..Its a Big And Wide River and I always thought of that song when I went down by the river after work. Brings back memories that song does.😉
Lovely, Lovely I'm coming to see a concert by him because of this. Thank you for all your hard work in making this velvey chocolatey quality to your voice - I could swim in it with my mouth open!!!!!!!!
One of the greatest songs ever written in the 20th Century. Many performers do it justice, but Paul Robeson and he's original version way back in 1936 is the masterpiece that all are measured by. Especially since it's the nearest era to when black were slaves in the US 150 years prior and in the 1930s blacks were still being subjected to the harshest of treatments in the Deep South that gave Paul that extra power, defiance and despair in his voice.
Whyever should we? Consider that critique is a natural result of listening (a skill, not a sense) and appreciation (understanding, not just valorizing). As in any subjective and/or skills-based endeavor, results may vary!
Totally not for his voice. Too low tessitura for him and it's not sounds good. Take a look at the ending, this is the higher part in this song, the peak is E natural and he starts sounds normally and comfortable.
John Fogarty what do you actually mean by that? I don't understand how anyone can compare this to the X factor... And surely orchestrating it himself is personal input!
I thought it was a great performance, this song is kind of vernacular and I think he nailed that aspect of it without losing the technical aspect. I'm not detecting "windedness" but I'm an instrumentalist (flute, oboe, clarinet), not a vocalist. This song is meant to convey weariness, though, and I'm wondering if that's what you're picking up on and mistaking for poor breathing.
the line "I'm tired of living, but scared of dying," never fails to make tear me up
Has me tearing up now 😢
Jo😊😊😅😊😊
😢😢😢😢😢😢
@shantavane🎉🎉😢😢😢😊😊😊😊e
😊😊😊😊p loop loop
9 jo jo jo jo jo jo jo pkkkopo jo op jo jo jo jo jo
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊po9 op loopt
Nice! I just sang Ol' Man River two days ago, June 2nd, 2024, at Fox Hilll retirement community in Bethesda, Maryland, but I went down to an E2, which ends on a D4.
When I sang Ol' Man River at a retirement community in the Washington DC area around 2011, a particularly powerful performance. On the way out an elderly gentleman stopped me and said he was a student at Rutgers University and then added that that was the best Old Man River he had heard since he heard Paul Robeson sing it at Rutgers in the 1940s!
Everything Roderick Williams sings is superbly sung. So what if he is not a bass? He has expansive pitch and dynamic ranges and a pallet of vocal colors that very few singer have, and he is musical, intelligent, and sincere. His diction is flawless. He is versatile because he sings FROM the music and the text, not from his ego, and has the technique to execute and deliver his outer voice, as his internal voice summons, with the proper balance of intellect, emotion, and style.
This is no doubt comment of a vocal coach and music Instructor.
what a line "I'm tired of living, but scared of dying"
I think my favourite song lyric that Ive ever heard. Sums up so much of the human condition in 8 words.
Superb and masterfully moving performance of his own arrangement. The Promenaders absolutely loved this from Roderick Williams, as did I.
Wow! Majestic vocal talent. Magnificent. Stunning in delivery and technique. Words are insufficient to describe. Orchestra and setting just the cherry on top. Kudos to all involved!
What a marvolous performance from Roderick Williams! Sends shivers down my spine!
This song....a masterpiece, a miracle...
I have heard almost all versions but this one performed by Roderick Williams and his baritone ,something amazing !!!!
What an amazing performance....he has an incredible voice....
Yes,he has and I am thankful to you for this sharing, Lou Bable !!!!
Listen to Sam Ramey's version.
A truly great singer who, by the way, appears to be able to deliver with anything from Bach to Birtwistle
Please upload this version to BBC available for purchase. It is the most stunning version I have ever heard.
I live in Tennessee and want to enjoy Roderick William’s talent
Roddie was absolutely brilliant, stunning performance.
Great Roderick, you are the greatest !!!
Beautifully sung with a beautiful voice. Very rare, and most commendable.
I’ve just seen Mr Williams perform at Buxton Music Festival. He’s was fabulous, engaging, funny and never made a slip. Amazing singer.
🤔Great Performance. Being from the South I lived in Baton Rouge for a while RIGHT NEXT TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...
..Its a Big And Wide River and I always thought of that song when I went down by the river after work. Brings back memories that song does.😉
Damn, that gives me the chills! One of the best renditions I've ever heard of this song, which is a favourite of mine.
this is just superb! I have no words! thank you for bringing this joy up to the internet.
watching the 2016 proms on TV and just recalled this absolutely wonderful performance and in my opinion best version of "old man river"
Wow! Roderick's voice is so beautiful. I couldn't stop watching. What a beautiful voice
Chills from start to finish
Love the Last Night of the Proms!!!
totally stole the show - amazing voice, fabulous performance
danny boy
Oh my god......goosepimples everywhere...speechless....amazing
Ultimately interesting. A singer bearing such long range and exceptional experienced orchestra.
Incredible song. Hard to sing. Words profound. He nailed it!
Da fällt mir mein Kindheits Film ein... Onkel Toms Hütte.... bin jetzt 54j .... schönes Lied.....Danke fürs Hochladen viele Grüße aus Athen
Absolutely Stunning, Glorious Voice!!!
Brilliant. It makes me cry!
absolutely faboulous Roderick Williams a joy to watch and listen to
Magnificent..Right there with Paul Robeson
And William Warfield in the 1951 remake
It cannot be betterly sung than this.
So beautiful. Tears to my eyes.
Outstanding in every way.
Wow that was an amazing performance.Roderick Williams is an amazing performer
How wonderful! He nailed it.
What a beautiful voice🤩
Wonderful - especially the smile at the end.......
This is far too great to comment on anything -- I rather dare not to -- Roderick Williams is an absolutely amazing singer.
AMAZING MIRACLE
Lovely, Lovely I'm coming to see a concert by him because of this. Thank you for all your hard work in making this velvey chocolatey quality to your voice - I could swim in it with my mouth open!!!!!!!!
One of the greatest songs ever written in the 20th Century. Many performers do it justice, but Paul Robeson and he's original version way back in 1936 is the masterpiece that all are measured by. Especially since it's the nearest era to when black were slaves in the US 150 years prior and in the 1930s blacks were still being subjected to the harshest of treatments in the Deep South that gave Paul that extra power, defiance and despair in his voice.
I lived in Memphis for many years. This song makes me miss it!
So very beautiful indeed.
BIG BRAVO!
The Best!
Wonderful!
Wow!
Wonderfull
Best I’ve heard since the original movie in 1951! Wow!
Great!
Gorgeous rendition!!!
Beautiful
what a voice
Wow!
Grande artista! Complimenti!!!
Lovely rich voice
A majestic and rich voice like fine rum.
1:44 guy in the back captures my feelings
GREAT!
If only people would stop criticizing, listen, appreciate, and remember that these days illustrated in this performance have gone forever.
Whyever should we? Consider that critique is a natural result of listening (a skill, not a sense) and appreciation (understanding, not just valorizing). As in any subjective and/or skills-based endeavor, results may vary!
Michael Vine
Michael, The comment was LISTEN. UNDERSTANDING is the all important point.
Does anyone have a vid of Willard White singing OMR at an earlier Proms (maybe early 2000s)?
This guy has an amazing voice but will never be able to compare to Paul Robeson the original. This guy is amazing
Hermosamente musical
very good! but my alltime favourite version will always be William Warfields from the movie "Showboat! "
cool,very well
Check out Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck from the Truth album. It's magnificent. A bit over the top but that's rock n roll!
Legendary song reowned by Indians and singing in their own languages by not changing much of the content💚💛💜
Us British do certain things properly last night at the proms is one
Rip Paul robeson
If you cannot sing the low notes, do not sing this song: And Roderick Williams can! Superb performance!
AINT NNNOOOO BODY ever gonna beat out william warfeild
supertb!
আমি বাংলাদেশ থেকে!
Was convinced that was Nigel Farage for a good 20 seconds
hi mark
Original lyrics!
❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
This song captures the pain that the black people and other people who lived under the white colonies faced.
He should have sung it at the Coronation instead of the other song.
Don’t like it without the tempo shifts
Totally not for his voice. Too low tessitura for him and it's not sounds good. Take a look at the ending, this is the higher part in this song, the peak is E natural and he starts sounds normally and comfortable.
Not a bad voice. But not enough "scuro" (chiaroscuro) to handle this song properly.
First or last comment
Sorry, the sound may be lush and warm but to me the interpretation is monotonous - listen to Paul Robeson in 1936, much more drama.
dude can sing but there's no personal input what so ever. Just an X-Factor imitation.
John Fogarty what do you actually mean by that? I don't understand how anyone can compare this to the X factor... And surely orchestrating it himself is personal input!
Sometimes an interpretation can be more dramatic and intense in a different way.
I cant tell if he's black, or if he's a really tan European man.
Half-black/Half-white
no
So far from the great interpretation of Paul Robeson... Its like a pale try...
Too much vibrato on the soloist.
This actually wasn't so good. He can do a much better job. He's sounds winded in some areas.
and out of tune at 1:57
I don't really agree with you. He pretty much nailed it.
Not really.
I thought it was a great performance, this song is kind of vernacular and I think he nailed that aspect of it without losing the technical aspect. I'm not detecting "windedness" but I'm an instrumentalist (flute, oboe, clarinet), not a vocalist. This song is meant to convey weariness, though, and I'm wondering if that's what you're picking up on and mistaking for poor breathing.
If this is what you call winded go back to school. He was GRAND.
Excellent!!!
Bravo !!