Westminster faculty and students will present a special performance of the final works written by Johannes Brahms on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 at 8:00 pm, in Bristol Chapel on the Westminster campus in Princeton.

The program is a joint collaboration of Westminster faculty members Elem Eley, James Goldsworthy, and Diane Belcher.  Baritone Elem Eley and pianist James Goldsworthy will present the Four Serious Songs, op. 121, and the organ studio of Diane Belcher will perform the Eleven Chorale Preludes, op. 122.

These two works were written in the final year of Brahms’ life, after the death of his beloved lifelong friend, Clara Schumann, and when he himself was in failing health.  They are therefore musical expressions of Brahms’ most profound and deeply personal thoughts and emotions, and are significantly introspective and spiritual works – indeed, some of the most sublime pieces he ever composed.  Brahms never allowed the Four Serious Songs to be performed while he lived, and the Eleven Chorale Preludes were published posthumously.

The students of Diane Belcher’s organ studio are:  Joseph Arndt, Dan Colgan, Hye-Eun Chon, Brandon Dumas, Charles Higgs, Kevin O’Malia, Sean Price, Jenny Ryu, Brian Sousa, Yuko Unehara, Deborah Williams, and Andrew Yeargin.

The program is free and open to the public.  For more information, call 609-921-2663.