Een vijfde redeloos gezang

Paul Merkus's Een vijfde redeloos gezang is a secular song for SATB choir, sung in Dutch. It belongs to the tradition of German Lieder, often setting witty or humorous texts. This particular piece tells the amusing story of a major general in Vienna who is deeply embarrassed by the red hair on his legs. He tries various methods to conceal it, from wearing long stockings to avoid attention, to lamenting the impracticality of dyeing or shaving. The song concludes with the general's eventual relief as the hair fades with age, allowing him to finally go into battle wearing ordinary socks.