Cellist serenades chickens with a French love song at 18th-century English farmhouse

18 November 2024, 15:30

Cellist plays for chickens at 18th-century farmhouse

Enjoy a moment of peace, as a rising star cellist plays calming classical music to farm animals at a 300-year-old farmhouse.

Sparkly piano arpeggios. Silky, singing cello lines. The sun setting on the ivy-covered bricks of a countryside farmhouse. Chickens and ducks clucking and quacking in storybook harmony. Leaves falling and blowing in the gentle breeze...

If just reading those lines brought you a sense of peace, we have just the thing for you.

Last month, we crossed the magical threshold of Mulberry House for the collaboration of a lifetime. We met Leah Lane, the modern-day Jane Austen character who runs the inviting world of Mulberry House. With captivating photos and videos of her countryside Georgian manor, adorable runner ducks and chickens clucking through dewy fields, she has amassed an online community of over a million followers who visit Mulberry House, virtually, every day.

Equally enamoured of the Mulberry House magic, we wondered how we could bring our classical music world to Leah’s – when the perfect idea dawned on us.

Read more: Rising star cellist serenades ducks with ‘The Swan’ at 300-year-old English farmhouse

We invited Classic FM Rising Star cellist and actress Sophie Kauer to perform some beautiful classical music in the middle of the pastoral setting, surrounded by farm animals and pets. Her first audience was an adorable flock of Indian runner ducks, who paddled serenely past as she serenaded them with ‘The Swan’ from Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.

Sophie’s second performance spotlights the gorgeous ‘L’heure exquise’ by Reynaldo Hahn, originally a French art song, reimagined as a poignant cello solo. She set up a chair in the front garden of Mulberry House, lifted her bow to begin, and before we knew it, chickens flocked to hear the charming music.

Watch the idyllic scene in the video above.

Read more: Distinguished dog dozes off to classical guitarist’s solo serenade

If you or your pets need a bit more calm in your lives, tune in to Classic FM Calm at any time for more peaceful soundscapes like this one. With the most relaxing music to unwind and escape, Classic FM Calm provides the sanctuary you need – anytime, anywhere. Listen on Global Player, on smart speaker, and on DAB+ (London only).

With thanks to Leah and Sophie for lending their talents to help us create a moment of musical magic.