Pianist Plays Beethoven, Schumann, and Grieg for Aging Elephant Rescued From Logging Captivity

Paul Barton, an artist and musician living in Thailand, who plays piano for rescued elephants and wild macaques, performed passages by Beethoven, Schumann, and Grieg to a rescued elephant name Mongkol.

The aging bull elephant had been saved from a life of captivity with a logging company, who used his immense size and strength for hauling trees. Despite his difficult upbringing, Mongkol is a gentle soul who quite enjoys the music that Barton makes for him.

Mongkol is a bull rescue elephant living in Thailand. Occasionally Mongkol when strolling along the river would stop by the piano. If we noticed him waiting I would go over and play him a few slow classical pieces.

Barton had also previously performed “Moonlight Sonata” for Mongkol.