Pachelbel’s legendary “Canon in D” is one of the most recognizable classical music pieces out there. But can you imagine the seventeenth-century orchestral piece being played on a squeaking rubber chicken?
Luckily, you don’t have to – Aussie YouTubers, TwoSetViolin, have crafted a hilarious chicken rendition using the infamous toy instrument – and it’s amassed 3.9 million views to date! But as classically trained musicians, TwoSet turn the gimmick into an authentic piece of jaw-dropping creativity, crafted out of pure love for Pachelbel’s original, while introducing a whole new generation to the world of classical music.
Music Man readers can watch the ridiculous, ingenious rendition unfold in the video above!
Performed by one half of TwoSetViolin, Eddy Chen, this video kicks off with a single rubber chicken being squeezed just enough to produce the pitch-perfect lead melody of Pachelbel’s classic. The chicken clucks out elongated notes as Eddy serves deadpan concentration. But then, the real magic begins.
With each cycle of the piece’s iconic progression, another chicken is layered into the mix, until Eddy has flawlessly recreated the song’s chord progression. We can’t imagine how difficult this is to pull off, considering the chicken toy-instrument has no frets, buttons, or anything to control its pitch, other than squeezing its rubbery belly.
As the piece progresses, Eddy laces in Pachelbel’s alternate melodies and harmonies, building up the classical piece from scratch. Once the novelty of the chicken clucks wears off, it’s lowkey astounding to hear this piece grow from a single melody into an intricate piece, each intertwining note put on full display in the oddest, but most mood-lifting way possible.
It’s worth noting that Eddy Chen has been blessed with perfect pitch; an undeniable skill-booster for any violinist, promising a strangely spotless chicken performance.
Don’t miss the cute squeaks of the chickens’ highest notes as they break through the mix, or the dog-toy tones emerging as the clip unfolds! But that’s not mentioning the best part of this rendition – the moment Eddy tackles the high-speed lead melody with unbelievable control and side-splitting absurdity.
This is far from the only chicken cover featured on TwoSetViolin’s YouTube channel. The violinists have recreated a number of classical pieces on the rubber chicken, including Handel’s Hallelujah, Strauss’ The Blue Danube Waltz, and Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers, amongst many more.
Craving another chicken cover? Watch Eddy and TwoSet co-star Brett Yang take on Beethoven’s legendary piano piece, Für Elise, in the video above!