Wilco, "Jesus, Etc."

"tall buildings shake
voices escape singing sad sad songs
tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
bitter melodies turning your orbit around"

Rebecca

More Who Have Less by Still Saffire

More Who Have Less is by Still Saffire, a band of 13- to 16-y-o teen sisters from Nyack NY, and was partly inspired by the devastation in Haiti in January 2010. The song speaks about giving to others because while "there are some who have more, there are more who have less." It is pure, it is heartfelt, and at the same time uplifting when you hear the young voices singing out "I know that you know there's a time to give it up, a time to give it out."

ginger bennett

Music from Afghanistan and the Middle East

9/11 was the day America realized we were no longer isolated, and that we had to interact with and understand the people of other cultures.

William

Gregorian Chanting

On 9/11 I was in Florence, Italy. It was late afternoon and we went to a beautiful church that over looked the river, to hear the monks chant at 5pm. It was the last thing we did in Florence before boarding a train to Milan. We were scheduled to fly home from Milan the following morning, 9/12.
It was on the way back to the hotel after the haunting experience of hearing the chanting echoing through the church, that we heard for the first time about the events that were happening in my home town. And the sound of the monks chanting stayed with those 5 following days as we were glued to CNN for news of our family, friends and our fellow New Yorkers, as they lived a nightmare, that we would never understand the same way as they did.

Mary Perrella

Miles Davis,"Blue in Green" from Kind of Blue

This is a fairly reflective piece off Kind of Blue, which was the first piece of music I could sand to listen to after 9/11. I played this constantly for about three weeks before I could listen to music with words. When I started back to listening to lyrics, I fastened on Stevie Wonder's "Love's In Need of Love Today."

Joanne

this land is your land by pete seeger

just what the title says. for all of us. no matter where we came from, no matter what we belive in,, no matter who we love,no matter what we do. it just doesn't matter. we are all americans. let us never forget this fact.

allan coooperman

3 pieces by American Composers - see note

1) John Cage, "The Unanswered Question"
It was a confusing day, with so many unanswered questions. Words were insufficient and I listed to this piece. For me, this music painted images of the search for survivors amid the twisted metal and debris and it asked questions that went unanswered.

2) Samuel Barber, "Adagio for Strings"
To me, the opening is like a big, heavy, sigh -- like the heaviness and helplessness felt on 9/11. Gradually, though, the music "gets up" and cries out -- I don't have words for those internal feelings, but I could identify with the the building dissonance and ultimate resolution expressed in this music.

3) Mark Miller, "Before Too Long"
This choral work is based on a poem written by a child while in a concentration camp. The message expressed is relevant and provides a hopeful message for the future. If we work together, perhaps we can reach this goal of a more peaceful world "before too long."

Kris

Hendryk Gorezki's Third Symphony

Everything dark and sad and calamitous and almost hopeless--almost but not quite, for the Sun is already battling the gloom, ultimately we hope with success.

(Dr.) Joe Malone

Brahms' German Requiem

In the early '60s I retrieved this album from our refuse room on the UES. On playing it, I literally swooned from the magnificence and grandeur of the work, and have relived this wondrous experience many times. Repeating the beatitudes in such a glorious way on this important anniversary to honor those killed on 09/11/01 would be a most fitting tribute both to them and to one of the world's great composers.

Alix-Marie Hall

Martinu's Czech Rhapsody for Orchestra, Baritone, Chorus, and Organ

Writter very early in the composer's career, it features the 23rd Psalm, followed by a very uplifting choral ending taking the listener from sad contemplation to uplift.
The finale rivals and even improves on the effect achieved by the choral finale of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony

Russell M. Holstein

Beethoven's 9th

what better piece to celebrate life. until this point in history, all before are now dead; some horrifically, some beatifically and those too who never were gifted a sentient life.
we must wake up joy. that is our purpose or we sadly miss the opportunity.

mac

Barber's Adagio for Strings

This piece is the most reflective and most beautiful piece for strings really capturing the sullen spirit of mourning.

Amy

Tuesday - Amy Fairchild

I have jammed with Amy in the past in NYC - she's awesome!!

Keith Lentin

Moment Away of the Dana Fuchs Band

I am from Holland and in 1940 during World War II my father was ordered to work in Germany on the age of 16. At the end of the war in 1945 he was liberated by the US Armee and went with them to France and worked for them as a volunteer for 2 months. When I reached the age of 12 I started realising what freedom means and I thank the Americans for my freedom in Holland. For me freedom was always linked with the city of New York. On September 11th I saw the attack on the twin towers life on the tv. At that moment it hits my heart and my feeling of freedom was lost. The song "Moment Away" covers for me this complete story. I am a great fan of the band and Dana is coming from New York.

Arnie van Z.

Aaron Copeland's Ode to the Common Man

It represents the dignified 'every man/woman' that each of us is.

Susanna Levin

Aaron Copeland's "Our Town"

Ever since 9/11/01, when I hear this music I think of our town, New York City.

An ordinary morning turned extraordinary, the worst and the best of humans, life and death: Everything that happened is captured in this piece. The fact that Copeland was a New Yorker makes the music even more appropriate. "Our Town" is the theme of that day.

Susan Suffes

"You'll Never Walk Alone"

This song gave me the emotional support to handle the sudden death of my mother five years ago and I think it is a fitting song for people of all faiths remembering the pain of 9/11 but looking at the strength so many had to endure and survive and honor those we lost.

diane

Amy Fairchid

Tuesday.

Beautiful song. GReat singer.

Jessica Schickel

Springsteen - "You're Missing" from "The Rising"

Depicts a scenario where a lost loved one is missing but all of their stuff is still home as it was.

Kate - Homdel, NJ

Tuesday by Amy Fairchild

This song still gives me goosebumps...it captures the complex emotions felt by those of us who watched helplessly across the water.

Nancy Fantin