3 Crested Hens

There is a song I request nearly every time I play with the Celtic Crew.  I heard once it’s not even really an Irish tune but somehow it has worked its way into traditional session repertoire and I am so very glad!  It really is the loveliest tune; beautiful melodic lines, an unrushed, almost sauntering tempo, and plenty of places for me to embellish as I feel so inclined.  The tune is Crested Hens by Gilles Chabenat.  Some say it’s a traditional Breton dance tune he slowed for his version, while others maintain it is an original.  Either way, Chabenat is a French hurdy-gurdy player who credits a line from a Debussy composition as the inspiration for this tune. I will have to have an extensive listening party to see if I can discover which one he plucked it from.

I have been having some fun playing around in Sibelius recently.  It’s been five or six years since I last used it for an assignment in college – far too long!  I thought that arranging a favorite tune might be the perfect exercise to familiarize myself again. So here is a bit of what I’ve done with it, I have already started working on a few more – it was so much fun and I can’t get enough.

I thought it appropriate to specify exactly how many crested hens there are – at least in my version – since it is not noted in the original.  The three violin part arrangement is a nod to the trio I often played in growing up. We had the greatest time playing everything from Telemann and Bach to Khachaturian and the beloved Michael MacLean. I dearly miss playing with you Lauren and Sasha!  How wonderful it would be to play this together someday, perhaps the next time we are all serendipitously back in Sitka at the same time!

So this is how I envision this tune being played (live of course!) with friends and family gathered for a dance or a dinner party.  Side note.. how cute is that lady bug that snuck into this picture?  So cute, indeed.  Happy music making! – Kera

 

Dress Up Your Music Stand

Every music teacher needs a music stand, I would venture to guess. I’ve had the same one for a very long time, probably since high school or before.  Functional and durable, I’m all about that.

There are a few theme colors I’m trying stick with when it comes to the music/crafting/office space.  And though I do like silver – it isn’t one of them.  So when I spotted a navy music stand at my local music store I got pretty excited. Now that I look around I really don’t have much navy except as an accent in the curtains but I don’t mind, it’s not nearly so flashy as the silver so I prefer it.  The navy is nice, but I’m always looking for opportunities to get just a bit crafty.  So in case you ever want to dress up your music stand a bit, here is an easy diy to add a splash of color in an unexpected place.

You will need; a music stand, several yards of the yarn of your choice, some double stick tape, and a pair of scissors. I got my yarn on super sale (!) so this ended up costing me less than two bucks, unless you count the stand.. okay twenty then.

Because of the way these metal stands are collapsible, the only place that doesn’t get in the way when it folds are the feet. I thought it might be cute, like socks!  Measure two arms lengths of yarn (about two yards) and wrap it around your fingers to keep it all together.

Stick a bit of tape at the bottom and fold it around so it covers both sides of the metal. Secure your yarn on the tape, then wrap a few times over the start of the thread to hide it and keep it in place.

Once you get it started all there is to do is wrap. And wrap, all the way up.

Before you get to the top, add another piece of tape and fold it over the metal edge. Keep wrapping over the tape until you get to the top.

Then loop the yarn through itself to tie a knot, and trim the extra yarn.

Repeat the process for the other two legs and you’re done!

I quite like it, just a bit of texture to make it more interesting. Happy stand wrapping!  And merry music making! – Kera

Photos edited with Petal from A Beautiful Mess photoshop actions.