People say that birth and death are lonely events as you are the only one experiencing them at that very moment. But music can be a birth or death companion. We asked a range of contributors which music they would choose at either end of life. Some believe that birth and death are life defining moments. Presumably, therefore, they deserve a soundtrack to match. The reality in our family has been more prosaic. My daughter, Zoe, now aged 9, arrived after a long labour. Discarded tapes of Vivaldi's Four Seasons littered the delivery suite. Unfortunately Zoe's parents were less well organised. The scramble to the hospital allowed time only for a rummage in the glove compartment of our car, which provided a battered copy of Twenty Golden Country Greats as the sole musical accompaniment to the birth. On a good day my wife acknowledges a sneaking regard for Tammy (“five husbands and 15 abdominal operations, honey”) Wynette. So it could have been worse. The lyrics seemed appropriate (“sometimes it's hard to be a woman”), but the chorus left something to be desired (“stand by your man”). At least we didn't hit “D.I.V.O.R.C.E” until mother and daughter were well into recovery. It seems inevitable that my passing will be marked in similarly tasteful fashion—perhaps the immortal Peter Sellers' song, “They're Digging up Grandpa's Grave to Build a Sewer”? When I was a boy, my aunt, then a radio announcer, declined my request to play this tune on air. But that's another story…. To be born to? Handel's Water Music , which is full of tunes that would accompany the breaking of the waters. To die to? “Etz chaim hi lamahazikim bah,” the beautiful melody sung by the cantor as the Torah scrolls are returned to the ark on the Sabbath. The …