Festival Piece on “Nicaea”

A powerful setting of a powerful hymn tune. Westenkuehler opens this piece with a fanfare full of exciting chord changes and then moves to a strong statement of the hymn tune. Next the melody is accompanied by a flowing passage on a trumpet stop that leads to the closing section in a toccata style. The active pedal part and a variety of registration make this somewhat of a virtuosic piece, and one that is certain to bring all who hear it to their feet.