Urbs Aquensis

Urbs Aquensis is the name commonly used today for the Charlemagne Sequence ( Latin Sequentia Sancti Karoli "Sequence of Saint Charles"), an originally Latin hymn especially to Charlemagne , created in the twelfth century. The verse scheme and the melody correspond to the later Lauda Sion .

History of origin and today's significance

The emergence of the hymn is the year of the canonization returned Charlemagne 1165th The oldest documents all come from Aachen , where the text was apparently written. In documents from Friedrich I. Barbarossa from the year 1166, Aachen is named as civitas regalis ("royal city"); Rudolf I called Aachen urbs regalis Aquensis in 1279 , like the name contained in the first verse of the hymn.

From the time it was canonized, this hymn was sung in other cities beyond Aachen. The hymn was sung in Halberstadt , Zurich , Basel and Frankfurt , for example . For each of these, the beginning of the work was replaced by their city name. In Frankfurt they sang, for example: “ Francfordensis urbs regalis, Regni sedes principalis ” (“Frankfurt, you royal city, the seat of the kingdom”).

Charles sequence is liturgical part of the Karl festival , which in honor of Charlemagne to the annual death and memorial is, 28 January, committed in Aachen Cathedral held Pontifikalamts and of the Frankfurt St. Bartholomew imperial committed Karl Office . In a new setting made around 1850 , the Charles Sequence became the city of Aachen's hymn. This version was included in the praise of God for the diocese of Aachen with a translation from the 19th century - which is rarely used today. Since 1950, the Urbs Aquensis has also been an integral part of the ceremony for the award of the International Charlemagne Prize in Aachen as the city anthem .

song lyrics

The beginning of the Aachen hymn on a glass window from the 18th century in Frankenberg Castle

Original text (Latin)	Translation (19th century)
Urbs Aquensis, urbs regalis, regni sedes principalis, prima regum curia. Regi regum pange laudes, quae de magni regis gaudes Caroli praesentia. Iste coetus psallat laetus, psallat chorus hic sonorus, vocali concordia. At dum manus operatur, bonum quod cor meditatur, dulcis est psalmodia. Hac in die, die festa, magni regis magna gesta, recolat Ecclesia, reges terrae et omnes populi, omnes simul plaudant et singuli, celebri laetitia. Hic est magnus imperator, boni fructus bonus sator, et prudens agricola, infideles hic convertit, fana, deos hic evertit et confringit idola. Hic superbos domat reges, hic regnare sacras leges facit cum justitia. Quam tuetur eo fine ut et justus sed nec sine sit misericordia. Stella maris, o Maria, mundi salus, vitae via, alma nostra Domina. Vacillantum rege gressus et ad regem des accessus in perenni gloria. Christe splendor Dei patris incorruptae fili matris gentem tuam adjuva. Per hunc sanctum, cuius festa celebramus, nobis praesta sempiterna gaudia.	Aachen, imperial city, you honor, old cities crown and honor, royal court full of splendor and glory! Sing songs to the King of Heaven, joy of celebration fills Charlemagne's sanctuary again! The sounds of celebration and chants from the excited crowd unite in full harmony. Hand and heart raised to God, to praise him, to praise him, sounds sweet melody. And the king's acts of glory, the richest crops of his life, praises the song today. You princes and all peoples, praise him with cheers, cheer joyfully in the song of competition. It is true that a compatriot never wisely drew good fruit like this emperor from the wild and wild fields, since he converted heathen people, destroyed pagan temples all around and broke the image of the idols. Forcing proud prince arbitrariness and struggling for holy fiefs , he brought Christ victory. At all times strict right-wing caretakers and merciful, gentle caretakers , he exercises his office strength. O Mary, star of the seas, salvation of the world, teach the ways to walk safely with every step. Help us to go to heaven until we stand before our King in the light of eternity . Christ, God's Son, born of the virgin, be ready to help us. Hear your holy supplication, whose feast day we celebrate, give us eternal bliss.

melody

$\ relative a '{\ key d \ major \ time 4/4 \ autoBeamOff {\ override Score.BarNumber #' transparent = ## t a4 fis8 [g8] a4 fis4 b4 cis4 d4 a4 \ override Staff.Clef # 'break- visibility = ## (# f #f #f) \ bar "|" \ break a4 fis8 [g8] a4 fis4 b4 cis4 d4 a4 cis4 d4 \ bar "" \ break cis4 b8 [a8] gis4. a8 a2 a4 b4 f sharp8 [g8] g4 \ bar "|" \ break e4 f sharp8 [g8] b8 [a8] a4 a4 b4 f sharp8 [g8] g4 e4 f sharp8 [g8] \ bar "" \ break b8 [a8] a4 b4 c sharp4 d4 g, 4 f sharp4 e8. (d16) d2 \ bar "|."}} \ addlyrics {Urbs A - quen - sis, urbs re - ga - lis, re - gni se - des prin - ci - pa - lis, pri - ma re - gum cu - ri - a. Re - gi re - gum pan - ge lau - des, quae de ma - gni re - gis gau - des Ca - ro - li prae - sen - ti - a. } \ addlyrics {Aa - chen, Kaiser - stadt, you heh - re; old cities crown and honor; Royal court full of glamor and glory! Sing to heaven - king love. Filled with joy, like that of Charlemagne's sanctuary. }$

Source: Gotteslob (1975) No. 966 and 967. Text: 12th century, German 19th century.Melody: Peter Baur around 1850

Web links

literature

Clemens Blume (Ed.): Analecta Hymnica , Volume 55, 1922, pp. 225–226 No. 201 critical edition with details of the handwritten tradition
Erika Eisenlohr: The oldest writing of the sequence "Urbs Aquensis urbs regalis" in the last quarter of the 12th century and its possible connection to the cult of Charles Barbarossa. In: Zeitschrift des Aachener Geschichtsverein (1989), pp. 35–67.
Michael McGrade: O rex mundi triumphator: Hohenstaufen politics in a sequence for Saint Charlemagne. In: Early Music History: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Music 17 (1998), pp. 183-219.

Remarks

↑ The first stanza has been completely redesigned; see. Analecta Hymnica 55, p. 256: “ Urbs Turegum, urbs famose / Quam decorant gloriosa / Sanctorum suffragia. "
↑ From the original version the stanzas 5, 6, 11 to 14 are missing, thus also the O rex, mundi triumphator, which is important for the imperial ideology .

[1] The first stanza has been completely redesigned; see. Analecta Hymnica 55, p. 256: “ Urbs Turegum, urbs famose / Quam decorant gloriosa / Sanctorum suffragia. "

[2] From the original version the stanzas 5, 6, 11 to 14 are missing, thus also the O rex, mundi triumphator, which is important for the imperial ideology .