Statement Zur Lage Der Musica

Haggard's song "Statement Zur Lage Der Musica" is a fascinating blend of instrumental music and spoken word, delivered in old German. The lyrics provide a historical critique of certain musical instruments, particularly the timpani, which are described as large drums made of copper kettles covered with calfskin. The speaker describes how these drums are played with mallets, producing a loud and tumultuous sound.

The song's narrative takes us to the courts of princes and the battlefields, where these drums are used to announce meals, signal the arrival of a prince, or accompany troops into battle. The speaker refers to these drums as "ungeheur rumpelfesser," or monstrous rumbling barrels, emphasizing their disruptive and overwhelming nature. This description paints a vivid picture of the drums' powerful and imposing presence in medieval society.

The critique extends to the impact of these drums on various groups of people. The speaker laments that the noise created by these instruments causes great disturbance to the elderly, the sick, and the devout individuals in monasteries who are trying to read, study, and pray. The speaker goes so far as to suggest that the devil himself must have invented these drums, as they bring no joy or goodness but rather disrupt and diminish all sweet melodies and the entirety of music. This strong condemnation highlights the tension between different musical tastes and the perceived moral implications of certain sounds in medieval times.