Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen
"Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen" ("A ship is coming, laden"), is an Advent season chorale and Marian Hymn. It is one of the oldest religious songs of German origin. The oldest existing text source is a manuscript dated before 1450. It was found in the Strasbourg Dominican convent of St. Nikolaus in undis. Due to the fact that the mystic Johannes Tauler visited this convent frequently, the lyrics of this song are attributed to him. Reference is the word "enphohet" (received) which is characteristically used by Tauler very often. The lyrics are typical for the allegory in the Middle Ages as a vital element in the synthesis of biblical and classical traditions. Biblical motifs compare the pregnant Virgin Mary with a loaded entering ship. The ship is set in motion under sail (correspondent to love) and mast (correspondent to the Holy Spirit). The oldest source of the melody is included in Andernacher Hymns (1608). The song is found there in bilingual text under the title "Vns kompt ein Schiff gefahren" as well as the Latin "En nauis institoris". c.f. = cantus firmus Max Reger quotes the tune in his organ pieces Sieben Stücke, Op. 145. List of Christmas carols "A ship is coming laden", English translation by Alan and Enid Luff Score Michael Fischer: Es kommt ein Schiff geladen. Ausführlicher Kommentar zur Liedgeschichte May 2005. (in German) (PDF, 1.11 MB) Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen, text in old German and Latin, by lyrik-und-lied.de "Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen" Carus-Verlag and SWR2 (in German) "Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen" music in lieder-archiv.de "Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen" on YouTube, arrangement by Max Reger, Cantamus Choir, Gießen Fantasia – Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen on YouTube, Fantasia for Organ by C. Meise, Bielefeld, Germany