Paul Manz
Paul Manz wrote neo-Baroque chorale preludes, partitas and hymn improvisations for the organ, music shaped for congregational worship. His Advent motet E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come remains his best-known choral work.
His organ writing stays close to the Lutheran chorale tradition: short, inventive settings that introduce a tune, colour a stanza, or send a congregation out. On recordings of historic Barossa Valley organs his improvisations on carols and praise hymns sit naturally beside Bach and Buxtehude. He developed the hymn festival as a service form, binding hymns under a theme with readings and alternatim singing, and left shelves of written-out improvisations still used by church organists.
Compositions by Paul Manz appear on
Historic Organs of the Barossa Valley, Vol. 2
Christopher Dearnley and John Stiller play seven historic Lutheran church organs of South Australia’s Barossa Valley in the second volume of this survey.
Historic Organs of the Barossa Valley, Vol. 1
Christopher Dearnley and John Stiller give striking performances on six historic church organs of South Australia’s Barossa Valley. A 16-page booklet traces the instruments, their builders and the music.