One of the 24 vividly imaginative Pièces de fantaisie (Fantasy Pieces), The Westminster Carillon utilizes the traditional bell motif, based on a varied four-note figure, by which many citizens throughout the world identify the quarters of the current hour. As this piece develops, more complex and rich harmonies surround this basic melodic set, and the rhythms are varied, creating a subtle shifting of the timbral atmospheres.

An unceasing accompaniment rhythm figure (eighth, two sixteenths, eighth) is established as the work opens in a floating 9/8 time. The first 34 measures state the basic chiming motif in several variations, while the accompaniment figure unfolds impressionist harmonies, voiced in fourths and fifths. The atmosphere is that of a bright morning in springtime with the anticipatory feeling in the air that "everything is possible."

The next 25 measures keep developing the same idea but add the roots of chords in the bass and invert the registers of the bell motif and accompaniment figure generating a warmer, friendly timbre. Six transitional measures introduce another figure, a rushing set of six sixteenths, that is a condensation in much smaller values of the motif. For the next 30 measures, this new figure is joined by a similar one in contrary motion, and the chords change to effervescent enharmonic modulations, the tone poem image of floating clouds.

Suddenly, the harmonies switch to a skipping whole-tone scale, and there is something strange and somewhat sinister in the air, like an on-coming storm. For the next 38 measures, this shift between ecstatic washes of enharmonic progressions and whole-tone mythological clarion calls continues until a scale ascent to the high registers introduces a full-bodied fortississimo in the opening key. This is a combination of the deep pedal root tones, rolling middle-range arpeggios, a pedal point in the internal voice, and the chime motif sailing above in the highest register.

Another change suddenly occurs as full chords in the upper manuals punctuate (pesante) the chime motif played in unrelenting eighth notes in the deep pedal bass. Then the music returns to the fortississimo wall-of-sound for the next 11 measures. The chord punctuations and rolling bass idea assert themselves once more and is developed further with rather corny ascending chromatic bass octaves. Three big chime-like chords announce the short coda and quick, rumbling pedal figures in sixteenths bring home the final bright major chord.

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