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BBC London is marking the 150th anniversary of Big Ben's first 'bong' with the premiere of a new musical composition celebrating the bells of London.

The piece features every single bell in every church mentioned in the nursery rhyme Oranges And Lemons.

It is the work of composer Benjamin Till, who had to clamber into bell-towers across the city to sample the bells – some of which had not sounded for decades.

Benjamin then recruited a 60-strong choir of keen amateurs and novice singers, who live or work within earshot of the bells, to record the finished work.

He also worked with six and seven year olds at Virginia Primary School, behind Shoreditch Church, to provide children's voices.

The ten-minute composition, sponsored by the Arts Council England, is based upon the original children's song but delves into its history, exploring the darker meaning behind "the bells of Old Bailey" and "the chopper to chop off your head".

London's bells have tolled at the city's most painful moments, but they have also rung out to celebrate its great events. Joyful, uplifting musical sections reflect those great occasions and Benjamin has also recorded the memories of a number of people, including the playwright Sir Arnold Wesker, recalling the peel of bells at significant moments in their lives.

Working with BBC London, Benjamin has created a film, illustrating an edited version of the composition. It will be broadcast on BBC London News (BBC One London) on Friday 10 July at 6.30pm – the eve of Big Ben's anniversary.

The music will also be premiered that evening at St Mary Le Bow Church, home of 'the great bell of Bow'. The choir, which has rehearsed for several weeks in some of the city's historic churches, will perform the work live for the first time accompanied by a recording of the sampled bells. The event will conclude with a walking tour of the churches, conducted by a blue badge guide.

BBC London 94.9FM will carry reports from the performance into Drivetime with Eddie Nestor and the following day, on Big Ben's 150th anniversary, will celebrate the historic date by playing out the full composition in its Breakfast programme.

A sample of Benjamin Till's Oranges And Lemons will be available to listen to from 6 July on bbc.co.uk/london.

Notes to Editors

Benjamin Till has worked with BBC London previously to create Hampstead Heath the Musical (nominated for a Royal Television Society award) and Children In Need The Musical.

He specialises in working with communities to tell real-life stories through music, film and song.

Other work includes The Busker Symphony (Channel 4) and A1: The Road Musical (Channel 4).

BG/LB2