Musical Statues

A Soundtrack Of History Walking Tour

What does history sound like? Ever wondered what were the tunes of glory that played at times of famous victories? Or what music inspired the great and good of history? 

More importantly… why didn’t Churchill like whistling?

When the music STARTS… what can we learn about history?

 

 

This brand-new walking tour marches off in search of the songs, symphonies and seven-inch singles that soundtrack the saga of London and the world.

An alternative title for this tour could be… Statues: The Musical. Our actors are the statues on the streets of Westminster.  Their stage is history itself. Our tour is their score. 

Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill: music plays a powerful and surprising role in each of their stories. We’ll meet them along the route of our tour in statue form. We’ll discuss the role of music in healing with Florence Nightingale; what part music played in the downfall of Beau Brummell; and we’ll look at music marching to war and being pressed into service for propaganda purposes.

The Hit Parade – Top 10 Facts & Answers You’ll Take Home After The Musical Statues Walking Tour

The song that turned the tide of WWII

Winston Churchill’s favourite singer

The Civil Rights campaigner who inspired a No.1 single

Abraham Lincoln’s unlikely earworm

The German nobleman responsible for the note-perfect soundtrack to the Changing of the Guard

Did Cromwell really cancel music?

Does music really have healing power?

Up which hill did the Duke of York march his 10,000 men?

The origin of the political campaign song

The 18th Century Londoner who inspired a band that scored 6 Billboard Hot 100 Hits

Presidents, Prime Ministers, preachers, healers, soldiers… we may even pose the question: why no actual musician statues in Westminster?

Whitehall, Jermyn Street, The Mall… Yes, you have often walked down these streets before. But never before have you looked at – or listened to them – from this angle.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING