Marche réligieuse (March on a Theme of Handel)

A piece that needs little introduction.
The first four notes sound like the chorus “Lift up your heads” from Messiah, but I've always thought that the first eight notes bear rather a startling resemblance to Giordani’s aria “Caro mio ben.”
Anyway, this evergreen piece makes a bold statement and it is easy to see why it remains one of Guilmant's most popular.
The stately march gives way to a dramatic fugue leading to a triumphant final statement of the march on tutti.