While it too is silent – it is considered too loud to strike as it would disturb neighbours – it was commissioned from the Whitechapel Foundry which also made Big Ben. With Big Ben silenced and tours to the Elizabeth Tower suspended, visit the Olympic bell in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Composer Benjamin Till created a piece for the 150th anniversary of Big Ben chiming for the first time which included all the churches and institutions from the longer version of playground favourite Oranges and Lemons. Listen to Oranges and Lemons by Benjamin Till.Īnother case of Big Ben inspiring art work.

The works coincided with the 90th anniversary of Big Ben’s chimes heralding in the New Year and are available on BBC iPlayer.ģ. (Yui Mok/PA)īarnsley’s Ian McMillan was commissioned to write seven poems to celebrate the sounds of the bells in 2013.

Head to the website here and follow the instructions to save the file to give every phone call gravitas.Ģ. The Parliament website offers MP3 files of the chimes of Big Ben as well as the bell being struck as a ringtone. The bell is still scheduled to sound for significant events like Remembrance Sunday and New Year’s Eve, but for anyone hoping to keep Big Ben’s E note ringing on a more regular basis, here are some alternatives.ġ. The chimes of Big Ben are set to be silenced until 2021 during restoration work on the Elizabeth Tower and the Great Clock.

Download elizabeth tower big ben