Grand Processional March, Op. 25

Samuel Brenton Whitney (4 June 1842, Woodstock, Vermont – 3 August 1914, Brattleboro, Vermont) was an organist, conductor and composer. His compositions were primarily church music and chamber works.

He was a pupil of Charles Wels of New York and then John Knowles Paine of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He secured his first organ appointment in Cambridge. He came to be regarded as the greatest interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach in the United States, and was appointed professor of organ playing and lecturer in music at the Boston University and the New England Conservatory. In 1871 he was appointed organist and choir director of the Church of the Advent, Boston. His compositions included many anthems and other church pieces, songs, pianoforte music, sonatas, transcriptions, and arrangements for the organ.

The "Grand Processional March, Op. 25" like much of the music I've been posting comes from "American Organ Music at a Glance, Volume One". Originally, this piece was published in 1877 by. A. P. Schmidt.

It's a real "rouser" which works beautifully on the Batz - although it would work very well on a big English organ.

As I recall reading someplace, I can't recall where (perhaps in Volume Two of this American Collection), Whitney was held in GREAT esteem by his organist collegaues.
Apparently, he had been quite ill, and this piece was published in an "organists' magazine" and delivered to all subscribers. The intent and request was that ALL ORGANISTS (at least those able!) play THIS piece as their Postlude on a particular Sunday. The significance was as an act of thanksgiving to celebrate Whitney's return to health and to his duties at the Church of the Advent.

Can you imagine something like this happening today?!?