Date: Fri 03-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Meeting-House-organ-Manz

Full Text:

Pulling Out All The Stops For Labor Day

(with photos)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Local pipe organist Lenny Manz has provided the music at hundreds of weddings

over the years, but his long history in front of the organ includes much more

than weddings. On Labor Day, he will be back at the keyboard, entertaining

those waiting for the parade to begin.

He got his start playing what he calls "merry-go-round" music inside the New

Haven ice rink. As the skaters went round, there sat Lenny Manz, dressed in a

tuxedo, making the pipes sing.

He grew up in Bridgeport and played his music wherever he went. This tall and

slender man has fingers that seem to go on forever -- perfect for an organist.

A spry 83, Lenny Manz is a master, if not a fixture, in front of the pipes.

Since 1949, he has been the organist at the Newtown Congregational Church and

often performs at the Meeting House on Main Street. He is widely sought after

by would-be brides and grooms for his ability to create a musical mood.

This week, he sat down at the Meeting House to give a few friends a preview of

his Labor Day morning show. At 8:30 am (90 minutes before the parade), the

doors of the Meeting House will swing open, and inside, Mr Manz will be

performing a medley of some of America's favorite patriotic songs.

"The windows will be open and the street will be filled with music," promised

Mae Schmidle, a member of the Heritage Preservation Trust (HPT) which leases

the building from the town and raises money for its upkeep.

The Heritage Preservation Trust is inviting the public to come inside to

experience both the music and the near-finished product of a $103,000

renovation to the historic building. Thanks to the fund-raising efforts of the

HPT, many say the building has never looked so good and the demand for

weddings has never been so high.

But the renovation will not be complete until the pipe organ is brought up to

speed. The Hall organ has been around since the 1920s, and has parts, such as

the enormous Austin console, that date back to 1918. It is in definite need of

a good overhaul. The open house kicks off an HPT fund-raiser to restore the

building's "ancient and wonderful" pipe organ.

The organ still sounds all right, according to Mr Manz, who does not seem

likely to complain even if it didn't. But even he would admit that it could

use a few tweaks here and there.

"All the pipes need cleaning and a lot of the keys don't play," Mr Manz said.

"They figured they'd better put something into the organ if they want to

advertise the Meeting House as having a pipe organ."

Dead pipes and a "lack of wind" from the blower prevent the organ from

operating at full capacity. Foley-Baker, Inc of Bolton, CT did some

fine-tuning of the organ on Tuesday, but a much more comprehensive overhaul is

needed to address some of the larger issues. A complete reconditioning is what

is really needed, experts say. That could cost as much as $50,000.

Dirt and dust is believed to have gotten caught up in the pipes during the

recent renovation work to the building's steeple.

Earlier this week, Mr Manz gave a brief preview of the assortment of patriotic

songs he'll play on Labor Day. They are songs like "Anchors Aweigh," "Yankee

Doodle," and "God Bless America" -- the kind of music that can get even the

biggest cynic excited about a parade.

"We're excited about the organ being restored. It's really such an important

part of the Meeting House," Mrs Schmidle said.

In a way, the fund-raiser will match the work done by former Newtown resident

Bryant Edgerton, a blind music enthusiast who donated large sums of money

toward the organ's upkeep.

Mr Manz began playing the organ for the Congregational Church back in 1949,

soon after he and his wife, Shirley, moved to town from Bridgeport.

"Paul Cullens came down and wanted to know if I'd play," he recalled this

week. Today, 50 years later, Mr Manz is the church's organist emeritus.

Shirley died in 1992, but Mr Manz still heads a large and loving family. His

immediate family includes six children, more than 20 grandchildren and 13

great grandchildren. No doubt the Newtown resident has played more than his

share of lullabies over the years.

Meeting House History

The original Meeting House was built by the town in 1720 on the site where the

flagpole currently stands. In 1792 it was moved onto logs and rolled 130 feet

southwest to its present location. In 1808, the existing building was

constructed using many of the timbers from the original structure.

"The acoustics in this building are very good," the organist said. "It's a

very old building and it seems to carry very well."

Over the years, the building was used for many purposes. It housed the

Congregational Church until the church built a new home on West Street in the

late 1980s.

Today, the Meeting House is owned by the town, leased to the HPT, and managed

by Sherry and Tom Paisley. It is listed on the National Register of Historic

Places and is considered a rare gem by those who know it best.

"The fact that this building has been preserved like this is nothing short of

miraculous," Mrs Paisley said.

Donations to the Organ Restoration Fund should be made out to the Historic

Preservation Trust (Organ Restoration Fund), c/o Sherry Paisley, 38 Walnut

Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482.

Also, members of the Heritage Preservation Trust will be selling handsome gold

framed mirrors with an inset of the Meeting House ($125) adjacent to the

Meeting House Monday morning. They will also be selling paper weights for $35.

Those include a black and white ink drawing of the Meeting House.