I thought I heard Dambusters March behind some TV footage. That is of course good music by which to drop bombs on the enemy, provided the enemy doesn't live in your suburb. What I'm saying is that building nationalistic fervour might not be appropriate for terrorism attacks. There is a presumption that the right tune should suit a military band or orchestra, which is why I was surprised they didn't use the Queen Mary dirge (think 'Clockwork Orange') for the Princess Diana funeral procession. The modern Australian moodsetters are pop songs like This Is Australia/Gangajang, All Out Of Love/Air Supply or Band Played Waltzing Matilda/Eric Bogle. I'm not sure nationalistic music sits well with the spirit of globalisation.

Nice column, however a bit pointy headed on the classical side. I do a local community radio show, and last Friday morning we were scratching around our rather large library for John Lennon's Imagine. (or at least Randy Crawford's version) Cliche ridden perhaps, but always apt. I also played Sting's "Fragile" and was very tempted to put on Leonard Cohen's "The Future" and "Democracy USA". however some lyrics would have upset the listeners. Kate Bush's "Army Dreamers" also came to mind. If I want to dwell/get angry about it, I've whacked on Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Two tribes", up LOUD. (Remember the film clip?) But to calm me down, I've been putting on Glen Campbell's amazing version of "Amazing Grace" and Aaron Neville's version of "Ave Maria". But then again, Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending" is never too far from the cd player anyway. Just to soothe the savage breast.

Thanks for the article and recommendations, although I'm not sure I'm entirely glad to put even more music on my list to find...

Like Di, I'd probably think of Leonard Cohen, if the mood was pensive. He has a bleakness, but on The Future he also has a furtive sense of humour and a hint of redemption among the sadness. On Anthem he sings/whispers: "There is a crack in everything/ That's how the light gets in", gospel vocals welling in the background "Ring the bells that still can ring."

At the other end of the pond, thoughts turn to Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising". When he released it in 2002, in the wake of Sept 11 and in part a response to that day's events, I thought it would be too difficult to listen to very often, too taxing to be continually reminded. An hour of loss, mourning and a "city of ruins". But I was surprised to find it was those things and a lot more. There is the quiet of the "nothingman" who - to his surprise - never thought he'd read about himself in his "hometown paper". And then there's the defiant joy of "Mary's Place", with memories of (the presumably lost) Mary, the refrain "let it rain, let it rain, let it rain", building to a crescendo: "Meet me at Mary's place, we're gonna have a party." We endure, we mourn, we carry on.

I'd vote for "Moonlight Sonata", improvised by Beethoven in the room next to where the body of a friend lay it has those hopelessly angry bass chords with the arpeggio melody reminding one simultaneously of the daily grind that goes on and on no matter what dire deeds happen and Bach's "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring". It's the New Testament and the Book of Job all in one. I don't think you can go beyond "pointy head" for venting enduring universal expressions of grief. Popular songs talk to the moment, or to a particular group who can remember what they were doing at that moment, but they don't embrace the whole community.

A marvellous combination of Australian music and imagery occurred about ten years ago when the ABC TV signout used Mike Oldfield's version of 'Wonderful Land' by Jerry Lordon. In it we saw the reflected sun setting on the Rialto building then it cut to a campfire scene. I watched it many times but the mood was spoilt by the following pompous and brass heavy version of 'Advance Australia Fair'. Rather than an atonal or melodically weak modern piece, for a commemorative orchestral occasion I would use Ravel's 'Pavane'.

George Dyson, Hierusalem. An absolutely ball-tearing piece of music that makes the hairs on the back of my agnostic neck (which matches the agnostic rest of me, before anyone decides to get picky) stand up.