FLAT BAROQUE July 4/83 Karl Rigelhof

What genius lurks in the minds of men
To compose such works of majesty
To take the tales of our common lives
And transpose it with drama and symphony

With violin they wages their wars
The pen, the bow they wield as swords
They transformed the ancient modes of thought
Inspiration a noble deed they sought

They wrote for joy and royalty
To enhance the pride of aristocracy
Take from the peasant spirit and add a touch of class
A dignified formal dance to cherish at last

Handel, Mozart, J.S. Bach the rebels of the age
Their music lives with such passion and intense tonality
Who would think that their imagination would set the stage
For the rest of humanity

Today it seems we've lost the touch
Or has it simply all been done before
Modern music hasn't changed that much
What does the future have in store

We've reverted back to our roots the music of the masses
Corporate greed and the decline of kings
That state of art today collapses
It's such a sad song we sing

We've sold our souls to rock and roll
To whoever can make the biggest hit
We should learn a lesson from the past
And create our music with this conviction
That a thing of beauty is made to last
The human endeavor shall not be laid to waste