As the Queen made her way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, onlookers heard a variety of classical music.
During the ceremony, the band of the Scots Guard and the band of the Grenadier Guards performed a variety of marches to accompany the Queen. Here's a breakdown of each piece that was played as well as its importance and relevance to the procession.
Beethoven's Funeral March No 1
This mournful piece of music was also played at the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in April 2021 as well as the lying in state of the Queen Mother and King Edward VII. While the tune is frequently credited to Beethoven, it is now mostly believed to have actually been composed by German musician Johan Heinrich Walch, who lived between 1776 and 1855.
Beethoven's Funeral Marches No 2 and 3
Carrying on from the first Funeral March, these two additional pieces hold a much more sombre and mournful atmosphere. Funeral March No 3 was also featured at Philip's ceremonial royal funeral at Windsor Castle.
Mendelssohn's Funeral March
It is believed that Queen Victoria held a special reverence for German composer Mendelssohn and described him as "the greatest musical genius since Mozart" and "the most amiable man". His funeral march is a grandiose piece that builds towards a dramatic climax.
Chopin's Funeral March
Chopin's funeral march is traditionally performed alone and remains one of the most popular pieces of music by the Polish composer. It has also been played at the funerals of John F Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill and Baroness Thatcher.
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