Johannes Brahms: His Music and His World - October 21 – 24
Westminster will host a festival focusing on one of the 19th century’s musical giants, Johannes Brahms, October 21 through 14. Entitled Johannes Brahms: His Music and His World, the festival will include four performances, pre-performance lectures, and a day-long seminar.
The festival will begin Thursday, October 21 with a performance of Brahms’ works for voice and piano performed by Westminster students in Gill Chapel on Rider University’s main campus in Lawrenceville. The 8:00 p.m. performance will be preceded by a lecture at 7:00 p.m. by Lindsey Christiansen, professor of voice, and Barry Seldes, professor of political science. Admission is free.
Friday, October 22 at 8:00 p.m., Westminster Kantorei, conducted by Andrew Megill, will present a concert in Bristol Chapel entitled “Blessed: German Requiems Before Brahms.” The program will include Musikalische Exequien by Schütz, Cantata 106 by Bach, and Du aber, Daniel, gehe hin by Telemann. Renowned Bach scholar Robin Leaver, professor of sacred music at Westminster, will present a pre-performance lecture entitled “German Funeral Music in the Protestant Tradition” at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.
Saturday, October 23, Westminster will host a day-long seminar focusing on Brahms. Lindsey Christiansen and Barry Seldes will present the opening plenary session entitled “Musical Expression and Political culture of Brahms’ Vienna.” Styra Avins, author of Johannes Brahms: Life and Letters will present the closing plenary session lecture entitled “What Would Brahms Have Said - Some thoughts about the festival, Brahms himself, and his ideas on performance.” Participants in the seminar may choose among three tracks of study: piano, voice or choral. James Goldsworthy and Phyllis Alpert Lehrer will lead the piano track, Joseph Flummerfelt and Andrew Megill will lead the choral track, and Lindsey Christiansen and Dalton Baldwin will lead the voice track. Fee for the day, which includes lunch, is $105 for adults and $50 for full-time students.
Also on Saturday, October 23 at 8:00 p.m. in Bristol Chapel, Westminster will present a concert of choral and chamber masterworks by Johannes Brahms. Performers will include the Westminster Choir with Conductor Laureate Joseph Flummerfelt and pianists Ena Bronstein Barton and Phyllis Alpert Lehrer.
The festival will conclude Sunday, October 24 at 3:00 p.m. with Brahms Liederabend, a performance of Brahms’ Liebeslieder Op. 53 and Neue Liebeslieder
Op. 65, as well as other songs by Brahms. The performers will be Sally Wolf, soprano; Laura Brooks Rice, mezzo-soprano; Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Elem Eley, baritone; Dalton Baldwin, piano; and J. J. Penna, piano. Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.
For tickets or to receive a complete information about the Brahms Festival call Westminster’s box office at 609-921-2663
