From 1912 to 1916 Nielsen spent time writing a set of "Hymns and Sacred Songs" for the Danish Church's new hymn-book. He proved himself an effective writer of hymns, with original yet direct harmonies and simple, singable lines.

In this short 1912 composition, Nielsen's only original work for wind band, he may have been preparing himself for that job. It is more likely that he was emotionally responding to a major event, the sinking of R.M.S. Titanic in the North Atlantic by an iceberg, with loss of some 1500 lives. Among the undoubted heroes of that event were the ship's small "orchestra" (actually a chamber ensemble) which kept up a steady stream of music to help keep calm as the inadequate number of lifeboats was filled. Just before the ship sank, the band played a hymn. Newspaper accounts of the time reported it was "Nearer my God to Thee," and subsequent research has born that out. (It was the favorite hymn of the band's leader, who left instructions that it should be played at his funeral.) Of the two different tunes to which this hymn is commonly set, Nielsen chose the one best known in Europe.

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