Fughetta (Finale) - Rise, my soul, and stretch thy wings

Stanley E. Saxton (1904-2002) was professor emeritus of music at Skidmore College. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Syracuse University; he also studied organ with Marcel Dupre and Charles Marie Widor at the American School in Fontainbleau in France, as well as composition with Nadia Boulanger. He held his first church organist job at the age of 12, formed his own orchestra as a college freshman, and toured Europe with Paul Whiteman’s Collegians. A member of the American Guild of Organists, Saxton designed and built many pipe organs in the eastern U.S. He also pursued research in indigenous folk music as source material for compositions, and composed many published works for organ, piano, voice, and chorus.

"Fughetta (Finale)" was published by White-Smith Music Publishing Co. in 1939. It uses the well-known hymn melody for its subject.

The tune, "Amsterdam" is found in "The Foundery Collection" and is often attributed to James Nares (1715-1783), who was organist of York Minster.

The text is by Robert Seagrave (1693-c. 1759) was born at Twyford, Leicestershire. He studied at Clare Hall, Cambridge, graduating in 1718. In 1739, he was appointed Sunday Evening Lecturer at Lorimer's Hall, London. He afterwards preached in the Tabernacle, in connection with the Calvinistic Methodists.

Saxton's setting is vigorous, individually effective, tricky, and shows many of his compositional fingerprints in terms of harmony.

For copyright reasons I will not attach the score, but anyone interested is welcome to contact me.

It could be a useful postlude or festival prelude, particularly if use this hymn in your church.

The text for the first verse is given in the First Comment.

A photo of Stanley Saxton is attached below.

I have a number of very nice Christmas works by Saxton, but I'll hold off on those until the season arrives! :-)