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"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.
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History
The oldest existing text source is a manuscript dated before 1450. It was found in the Strasbourg Dominican convent of St. Nicolaus 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.
Musical setting
Max Reger quotes the tune in his organ pieces Sieben Stücke, Op. 145.