Kern, arr. Williams: 'Ol' Man River' - BBC Proms 2014

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Roderick Williams (baritone) joins the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sakari Oramo (conductor) for a live performance of Kern's 'Ol' Man River' from the 1927 musical Show Boat (arr. R. Williams).
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[@nully304]

the line "I'm tired of living, but scared of dying," never fails to make tear me up

[@shantavanee]

Has me tearing up now 😢

[@keidarvoice]

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.

[@princeopefadina4870]

This is no doubt comment of a vocal coach and music Instructor.

[@donaldsunny7836]

what a line "I'm tired of living, but scared of dying"

[@charliekiernan5394]

I think my favourite song lyric that Ive ever heard. Sums up so much of the human condition in 8 words.

[@grahamsapsford]

Superb and masterfully moving performance of his own arrangement. The Promenaders absolutely loved this from Roderick Williams, as did I.

[@InfoArtistJK]

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. Peace

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

What a marvolous performance from Roderick Williams! Sends shivers down my spine!

[@ce253]

This song....a masterpiece, a miracle...

[@eduardotomazoni4394]

Great Roderick, you are the greatest !!!

[@henrygingercat]

A truly great singer who, by the way, appears to be able to deliver with anything from Bach to Birtwistle

[@AlenaGabris]

I have heard almost all versions but this one performed by Roderick Williams and his baritone ,something amazing !!!!

[@LouBable]

What an amazing performance....he has an incredible voice....

[@AlenaGabris]

Yes,he has and I am thankful to you for this sharing, Lou Bable !!!!

[@SophieBurrows97]

Roddie was absolutely brilliant, stunning performance.

[@soavemusica]

Beautifully sung with a beautiful voice. Very rare, and most commendable.

[@4HCEO]

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!

[@PhillipRottingham]

Damn, that gives me the chills! One of the best renditions I've ever heard of this song, which is a favourite of mine.

[@dawnreynolds790]

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

[@ExtremeKnexRides]

Love the Last Night of the Proms!!!

[@bawoman]

Oh my god......goosepimples everywhere...speechless....amazing

[@fpetube]

watching the 2016 proms on TV and just recalled this absolutely wonderful performance and in my opinion best version of "old man river"

[@wolfsige]

Magnificent..Right there with Paul Robeson

[@lray1948]

And William Warfield in the 1951 remake

[@philgoddard8148]

totally stole the show - amazing voice, fabulous performance

[@gregtuck6684]

danny boy

[@JM-rs7io]

🤔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.😉

[@johnbarr7884]

Incredible song. Hard to sing. Words profound. He nailed it!

[@nitush1000]

this is just superb! I have no words! thank you for bringing this joy up to the internet.

[@deannesherriff3247]

I’ve just seen Mr Williams perform at Buxton Music Festival. He’s was fabulous, engaging, funny and never made a slip. Amazing singer.

[@oloniyosamuelolaitan8845]

Wow! Roderick's voice is so beautiful. I couldn't stop watching. What a beautiful voice

[@MrListener43]

Outstanding in every way.

[@jazzdub4958]

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.

[@kas7303]

Chills from start to finish

[@glynn007]

Wonderful - especially the smile at the end.......

[@charlescrisp2814]

Wow that was an amazing performance.Roderick Williams is an amazing performer

[@johnm2178]

Great!

[@rongross309]

Absolutely Stunning, Glorious Voice!!!

[@princeopefadina4870]

Ultimately interesting. A singer bearing such long range and exceptional experienced orchestra.

[@kyeongsik89]

This is far too great to comment on anything -- I rather dare not to -- Roderick Williams is an absolutely amazing singer.

[@zenchan332]

AMAZING MIRACLE

[@princeopefadina4870]

It cannot be betterly sung than this.

[@dr.d.6378]

Da fällt mir mein Kindheits Film ein... Onkel Toms Hütte.... bin jetzt 54j .... schönes Lied.....Danke fürs Hochladen viele Grüße aus Athen

[@bazwookie]

absolutely faboulous Roderick Williams a joy to watch and listen to

[@crdrcrd]

So beautiful. Tears to my eyes.

[@johninmorocco4343]

Brilliant. It makes me cry!

[@jillmcaleese6514]

How wonderful! He nailed it.

[@lindapoore7608]

Wonderful!

[@bro8974]

I lived in Memphis for many years. This song makes me miss it!

[@bmwinther8971]

What a beautiful voice🤩

[@zacbru4609]

BIG BRAVO!

[@dolphmanity]

Wow!

[@timothyhopkins6960]

So very beautiful indeed.

[@cidehamete]

Wow! Wonderfull

[@Karen4001]

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!!!!!!!!

[@Hocktrekker]

Gorgeous rendition!!!

[@Jack82you]

Grande artista! Complimenti!!!

[@JuDlive]

what a voice

[@MARKETMAN6789]

Beautiful

[@robertcentobene4375]

The Best!

[@kristiLB93]

Best I’ve heard since the original movie in 1951! Wow!

[@pangora1231]

GREAT!

[@bruceseaman6592]

Lovely rich voice

[@sergioapan356]

Hermosamente musical

[@301250]

A majestic and rich voice like fine rum.

[@mjguerin63]

Does anyone have a vid of Willard White singing OMR at an earlier Proms (maybe early 2000s)?

[@jonytim7082]

cool,very well

[@RaymondLayzell]

If only people would stop criticizing, listen, appreciate, and remember that these days illustrated in this performance have gone forever.

[@vinemp]

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!

[@RaymondLayzell]

Michael Vine Michael, The comment was LISTEN. UNDERSTANDING is the all important point.

[@jamesjohnson4568]

This guy has an amazing voice but will never be able to compare to Paul Robeson the original. This guy is amazing

[@plockso7012]

Rip Paul robeson

[@steveaustin6858]

1:44 guy in the back captures my feelings

[@scor66]

very good! but my alltime favourite version will always be William Warfields from the movie "Showboat! "

[@Annemieization]

supertb!

[@sandhyakiron5024]

Legendary song reowned by Indians and singing in their own languages by not changing much of the content💚💛💜

[@DucksDeLucks]

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!

[@deaded5040]

AINT NNNOOOO BODY ever gonna beat out william warfeild

[@PaulieGualtieri162]

Us British do certain things properly last night at the proms is one

[@loekpaques]

If you cannot sing the low notes, do not sing this song: And Roderick Williams can! Superb performance!

[@mikemcc6625]

Original lyrics!

[@sikderjuboraj9782]

আমি বাংলাদেশ থেকে!

[@markcombrinck-hertz3649]

hi mark

[@Michaelbos]

❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Degenerate_Gen]

Was convinced that was Nigel Farage for a good 20 seconds

[@roz1]

This song captures the pain that the black people and other people who lived under the white colonies faced.

[@itsjemmabond]

He should have sung it at the Coronation instead of the other song.

[@traviswinterreis939]

Don’t like it without the tempo shifts

[@austinmartinez8845]

First or last comment

[@micharomanowski3824]

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.

[@iansadler5543]

Sorry, the sound may be lush and warm but to me the interpretation is monotonous - listen to Paul Robeson in 1936, much more drama.

[@johnfogarty5655]

dude can sing but there's no personal input what so ever. Just an X-Factor imitation.

[@josiewilliams8671]

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!

[@liambonthrone923]

Sometimes an interpretation can be more dramatic and intense in a different way.

[@matthewpalmer9820]

I cant tell if he's black, or if he's a really tan European man.

[@itsjemmabond]

Half-black/Half-white

[@tombreen932]

no

[@varangianrider1643]

So far from the great interpretation of Paul Robeson... Its like a pale try...

[@limyongjun6826]

Too much vibrato on the soloist.

[@littlemikeism]

This actually wasn't so good. He can do a much better job. He's sounds winded in some areas.

[@thebullybuffalo]

and out of tune at 1:57

[@JAshley64]

I don't really agree with you. He pretty much nailed it.

[@JAshley64]

Not really.

[@Syndie702]

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.

[@kevinquinn3763]

If this is what you call winded go back to school. He was GRAND.

[@gregarian4]

Excellent!!!

[@PaulieGualtieri162]

Bravo !!