Dear Pastor and Mrs Ludwig and Anna,
.PP
I enclose a copy of the program which I have prepared
for the memorial service for my mother.
I hope I have made no big mistakes.
.PP
Forgive my eccentricity in confounding
Christmas with funeral observances.
My mother was passionately fond of Christmas,
and I thought I saw a certain symmetry between the celebrations;
as Christmas is the occasion when Jesus comes to us,
so death is the occasion when we go to meet him.
.PP
In the Christmas Oratorio, just before the evangelist
announces the birth of Jesus, at the time in other words,
when human mothers would be suffering the pains of childbirth,
Bach invokes the Passion theme by having the congregation sing
the chorale "O how shall I receive thee" to the melody associated
with "O sacred Head now wounded." This is of course the music
director's decision, and Mrs. Ludwig might wish to do the same.
Also in the Leipzig tradition, the chorales are sung to orchestral
accompaniment, and Anna might consider whether she wished
to accompany the organ with the flute while we (try to) sing the hymns.
.PP
We look forward to seeing you soon, and to having all of you
stay with us the night of May 6. By that time, Klemens and I
hope to have the hot water supply repaired, but we make no promises.