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Roderick Williams

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For those of the same or a similar name, see Roderick Williams (Canadian football) and Rod Williams (disambiguation).

Roderick Gregory Coleman Williams OBE (born 1965) is a British baritone and composer.

Biography

Williams was born in North London to a Welsh father and a Jamaican mother.[1] He attended Christ Church Cathedral School in Oxford and Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, a public school in Hertfordshire.[2] He was a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford, and then became a music teacher.[3] At the age of 28, he resumed music studies at the Guildhall School of Music in London. At Guildhall, he made his operatic debut as Tarquinius in Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia.

Williams first appeared at The Proms in 1996 as the Royal Herald in Verdi's Don Carlos. He was a soloist at the 2013 Proms production of Ralph Vaughan Williams' ‘A Sea Symphony’,[4] and again in 2014 Last Night of the Proms, which included performances of his own arrangements of two songs.[5] His commercial recordings include albums for Naxos and for Signum.[6][7][8] In 2006, Williams and the Sacconi Quartet made the premiere recording of Gerald Finzi's 1921-22 song cycle By Footpath and Stile.[9]

Williams is the president of Junior Saint James Singers and has been the president of Malvern Concert Club since July 2014 and of the Three Choirs Festival Society since December 2016.[10] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to music.[11] In 2019 he was announced as Patron of Birmingham Bach Choir.[12] In 2020 he was appointed President of the London concert series Thames Concerts.[13]

Williams and his wife, Miranda, have two daughters and a son.[1] His sister-in-law is the stage director Orpha Phelan.[14]

Operatic repertoire

Recordings

Song with piano or chamber accompaniment

The Dyson Songbook Dyson With the Winchester College Quiristers and Robert Bottone, piano. 1996 Proud Sound PROU CD 146

The Songs of Percy Turnbull With Nancy Argenta, soprano and Robin Bowman, piano. 2000 Somme SOMMCD 020

Blood-red Carnations Songs by Schoenberg With Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano, Iain Burnside, piano. 2002 Black Box

I said to Love - Let Us Garlands Bring - Before and After Summer Finzi With Iain Burnside, piano 2004 Naxos 8.557644

Songs of Travel - The House of Life - Four poems by Fredegond Shove Vaughan Williams With Iain Burnside, piano. 2004 Naxos 8.557643

Classic Children's Songs With Elizabeth Atherton, soprano and Iain Burnside, piano. 2005 Just Accord JUSCD003

Earth and Air and Rain - By Footpath and Stile - To a Poet Finzi With Iain Burnside, piano and the Sacconi Quartet. 2005/6 Naxos 8.557963

Severn & Somme Howells, Sanders, Wilson, Venables With Susie Allan, piano. 2006 Somm SOMMCD 057

Moonstruck Songs of FG Scott With Lisa Milne, soprano, Iain Burnside, piano. 2006 Signum Classics SIGCD096

Songs Ireland With Iain Burnside, piano. Naxos 2007 8.570467

Kissing her Hair Twenty early songs of Ralph Vaughan Williams With Sarah Fox, soprano, Andrew Staples, tenor and Iain Burnside, Piano. 2007 Albion ALBCD002

Lieder und Gesänge Beethoven With Ann Murray, mezz-soprano and Iain Burnside, piano. 2008 Signum SIGCD 139

Complete Solo Songs Moeran With Geraldine McGreevy, soprano, Adrian Thompson, Tenor, John Talbot, piano. 2008/9 Chandos CHAN 10596(2)

Recital of English Song Finzi/Moeran/Gurney/Head/Venables/Butterworth With Susie Allan, piano. 2010 Dinmore Records

Songs from A Shropshire Lad - Folk Songs from Sussex Butterworth With Iain Burnside, piano. 2010 Naxos 8.572426

Live at Wigmore Hall - Schumann (Kerner Lieder), Wolf, Korngold, Mahler With Helmut Deutsch, piano. 2011 WHLive0055

Songs and Proverbs of Williams Blake - Tit for Tat - Folk-songs Britten With Iain Burnside, piano. 2011 Naxos 8.572600

Canticles Britten With various performers. 2013 Stone Records

The Isles of Greece (from the CD 'Wild Cyclamen') Hugh Wood With Iain Burnside, piano. 2014 NMC Recordings

The Song of the Severn, and other songs Venables With Graham J LLoyd, piano, and the Carducci String Quartet 2014 Signum SIGCD424

Dylan - The Drowning of Capel Celyn Stimpson With Sioned Williams, harp. 2006/2015 Stone Records

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen Mahlar arr. Schoenberg Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players. 2015 Naxos 8.573536

Twelve Sets of English Lyrics - Volume 1 Parry With Susan Gritton, soprano, James Gilchrist, tenor, Andrew West, piano. 2015 Somm SOMMCD 257

Rückert songs Schumann With Mary Bevan, soprano, Katie Bray, mezzo-soprano, Robert Murray, tenor and Sholto Kynoch, piano. 2016 BBC MUsic Magazine Collection Vol.24 No.8

Rükert Lieder Robert and Clara Schumann With Mary Bevan, soprano, Katie Bray, mezz-soprano, Robert Murray, tenor and Sholto Kynoch, Piano. 2016 Stone LC20371

Der Wanderer - Schubert Lieder Schubert With Iain Burnside, piano. 2016 Delphian DCD34170

Meet me in the Green Glen Elias With Susan Bickley, mezzo-soprano. 2016 NMC Recordings NMC D235

Twelve Sets of English Lyrics - Volume 2 Parry With Sarah Fox, soprano, James Gilchrist, tenor, Andrew West, piano. 2017 Somm SOMMCD 270

Twelve Sets of English Lyrics - Volume 3 Parry With Sarah Fox, soprano, Andrew West, piano. 2017 Somm SOMMCD 272

Winter Journey Schubert's Winterreise in an English version by Jeremy Sams With Christopher Glynn, piano. 2017 Signum SIGCD531

Those Blue Remembered Hills Gurney, Howells With the Bridge Quartet, Michael Dussek, piano 2018 EM Records

Maud/A Shropshire Lad Somervell With Susie Allan, piano. 2019 Somm SOMMCD 0615

Schwanengesang Schubert An die ferne Geliebte Beethoven With Iain Burnside, piano. 2020 Chandos 20126

Birdsong Brahms, Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Beamish With Andrew West, piano. 2020 Somm SOMMCD 0633

Folk Songs Volume 1 Vaughan Williams With Mary Bevan, soprano, Nicky Spence, tenor, Jack Liebeck, violin, William Vann, piano. 2020 Albion Records

Folk Songs Volume 2 Vaughan Williams With Mary Bevan, soprano, Nicky Spence, tenor, Thomas Gould, violin, Williams Vann, piano. 2021 Albion Records

Winterreise Schubert With Iain Burnside, piano. 2021 Chandos CHAN 20163

Mirages: The Art of French Song With Roger Vignoles, piano. 2021 Champs Hill Records CHRCD159

Façade Walton Orchestra of the Swan cond. Bruce O'Neil 2021 Somm SOMMCD 277


Song with orchestral and/or choral accompaniment

The Unreturning Spring Trevor Hold With Ailish Tynan, soprano, BBC Concert Orchestra cond. Martin Yates 2007 Dutton Epoch CDLX 7196

The Fringes of the Fleet Elgar Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra cond. Tom Higgins 2009 Somm SOMMCD 243

Sechs frühe Lieder Mahler, orchestral realisation by Berio Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra cond. Edward Gardner 2011 Chandos CHSA5101

Binyon Songs Pickard BBC Concert Orchestra cond. Gavin Sutherland 2016 From Now Comes Beauty EM Records

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Skempton Birmingham Contemporary Music Group cond. Martyn Brabbins 2016 NMC Recordings


Oratorio, cantata and other orchestral and choral works

Shield of Faith Bliss Finzi Singers dir. Paul Spicer 1991 Chandos CHAN 8980

Christmas Oratorio Part One/ Magnificat JS Bach Choir of New College, Oxford and Orchestra of the King's Consort cond. Edward Higginbottom December 1996 BBC MM52

Mass of the Children Rutter Cambridge Singers Cantate Youth Choir City of London Sinfonia cond. John Rutter 2003

Fantasia on Christmas Carols/The First Nowell/On Christmas Night Vaugan Williams City of London Sinfonia cond Richard Hickox 2005 Chandos CHAN 10385

Symphony No.1 - 'Oliver Cromwell' Rutland Boughton BBC Concert Orchestra cond. Handley 2006 Dutton CDLX 7185

The Shepherd's Calendar Hurd London Chorus, Bournemouth Symphoy Orchestra cond Ronald Corp 2011 Dutton Epoch CDLX 7280

Aftertones/No Man's Land Colin Matthews Hallé Choir and Orchestra cond. Nicholas Collon 2014 CD HLL 7538

A Sea Symphony Vaughan Williams The Hallé Orchestra cond. Sir Mark Elder 2014 CD HLL 7542

Israel in Egypt Handel Nederlands Kamerkoor Le Concert Lorrain cond. Roy Goodman 2014 ET'CETERA

Three Nocturnes Vaughan Williams BBC Symphony Orchestra cond. Martyn Brabbins 2015 Albion Records

Choral Symphony Dyson Bach Choir, Bournmouth Symphony Orchestra dir. David Hill 2017 Naxos 8.573770

L'Enfance du Christ Berlioz Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus cond. Sir Andrew Davis 2018 Chandos CHSA 5228(2)

Messiah Handel Rias Kammerchor Berlin Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin cond. Justin Doyle 2020 PENTATONE


Opera

Ned Keene: Peter Grimes Britten City of London Sinfonia cond. Richard Hickox 1995 Chandos CHAN 94477/8

Obstinate, Watchful, First Shepherd: The Pilgrim's Progress Vaughan Williams Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal House cond. Richard Hickox 1997 Chandos CH 9625(2)

Prince Andrey Bolkonsky: War and Peace Prokofiev Spoleto Festival Orchestra cond. Richard Hickox 1999 Chandos 9855

Rôle uncredited: A Hand of Bridge Barber Royal Scottish National Orchestra cond. Marin Alsop 2003 Naxos 8.559135

Head Reaper: Ruth Lennox Berkeley City of London Sinfonia cond. Richard Hickox 2003 Chandos CHAN 10301

The Earl of Dunmow: A Dinner Engagement Lennox Berkeley City of London Sinfonia cond. Richard Hickox 2003 Chandos CHAN 10219

Gallanthus: The Poisoned Kiss Vaughan Williams BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond Richard Hickox 2002 Chandos CHAN 10120 (2)

Captain Balstrode: Peter Grimes Britten Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Choirs cond. Edward Gardner 2019 Chandos CHSA 5250(2)

Composition

Williams was commissioned by the Financial Times in 2014 to compose a Christmas carol, 'Christmas Bells', a setting of a poem by Longfellow. It was premiered by the Godwine Choir at St George the Martyr church in Southwark, London.[16] His choral orchestral setting of Keats' To Autumn was commissioned by the Waynflete Singers in 2019 and was premiered in Winchester Cathedral on 16 October 2021.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b Hannah Nepil (22 November 2013). "Interview with baritone Roderick Williams before Albert Herring at the Barbican". Financial Times. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  2. ^ Team, i (30 May 2016). "'I count the ethnic minorities in the audience… It doesn't take long.' Roderick Williams on opera's diversity problem". inews.co.uk.
  3. ^ "Facing the music: Roderick Williams". The Guardian. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony (BBC Proms 2013 - Sakari Oramo: Conducts)". Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  5. ^ Imogen Tilden (10 September 2014). "Roderick Williams on the Last Night of the Proms: 'Maybe I should dress as Britannia and wave a Jamaican flag'". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  6. ^ Andrew Clements (6 May 2005). "Finzi: I Said to Love; Let Us Garlands Bring; Before and After Summer: Williams/ Burnside". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  7. ^ Andrew Clements (4 November 2005). "Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel; The House of Life; Four Poems by Fredegond Shove, Williams/ Burnside". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  8. ^ Andrew Clements (16 July 2015). "Venables: Song of the Severn, Pine Boughs CD review – convincing and yearning". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  9. ^ Clements, Andrew (14 July 2006). "Finzi: Earth and Air and Rain; by Footpath and Stile; To a Poet, Williams/ Burnside/ Sacconi Quartet". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Roderick Williams to be President of Three Choirs Festival Society" (Press release). Three Choirs Festival Society. December 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  11. ^ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B14.
  12. ^ Unknown (3 April 2019). "'Roderick Williams OBE announced as new Patron of Birmingham Bach Choir.' Choir continue centenary celebrations with special recital and new appointment". What's On (Birmingham). Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Thames Concerts - About us". thamesconcerts.com. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  14. ^ Claudia Pritchard (30 May 2016). "'I count the ethnic minorities in the audience...It doesn't take long.' Roderick Williams on opera's diversity problem". iNews. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  15. ^ Roderick Williams (14 October 2016). "How to be good? Getting to grips with Billy Budd". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  16. ^ "The FT's Christmas carol by Roderick Williams". www.ft.com. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  17. ^ Waynflete Singers
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