In this paper we consider the Brill-Noether locus $W_{underline d}(C)$ of line bundles of multidegree $underline d$ of total degree $g-1$ having a nonzero section on a nodal reducible curve $C$ of genus $ggeq2$. We give an explicit description of the irreducible components of $W_{underline d}(C)$ for a semistable multidegre $underline d$. As a consequence we show that, if two semistable multidegrees of total degre $g-1$ on a curve with no rational components differ by a twister, then the respective Brill-Noether loci have isomorphic components.