British musician Paul Barton plays the piano for monkeys that occupy abandoned historical areas in Lopburi, Thailand November 21 2020. (Picture credit: Reuters) A British pianist performed classical music for hundreds of wild monkeys in Thailand’s Lopburi in an attempt to soothe them.
The video of the performance that was held on November 21 shows several macaque monkeys gravitating towards Paul Barton as he played “Greensleeves,” Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” and Michael Nyman’s “Diary of Love” on a grand piano.
The video also shows monkeys running up and down the piano keys, and climbing on the instrument as the 59-year-old focused on playing.
British pianist’s velvety tones soothe Thailand’s hungry monkeys https://t.co/vRHvCu3XAy pic.twitter.com/3xxtBh71yW
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 23, 2020
Barton played at four venues in Lopburi, a province famous for its marauding monkeys, including at an ancient Hindu temple, a hardware store and a derelict cinema.
“We need to make an effort to make sure that they eat properly. And when they eat properly they will be calmer and will not be aggressive,” said Barton, 59, a long-time Thailand resident.
Here’s how people on social media reacted to the performance:
I don’t know, I just keep waiting for the monkeys to band together and make an impromptu lunch. Just me? ;-)
— James Scrudder (@Nullis_sum) November 23, 2020
Stealing his lunch and picking his pocket.
— Comrade Expendable Old Person. (@KRBBonser) November 23, 2020
Much love to Paul Barton!
— Kid Frisky (@ChknSandwich) November 23, 2020
That must take some dedication . The monkeys seem enthralled ! 🙈🙉🙊
— Caroline (@Carolin90263996) November 23, 2020
Amazing
This also works on cows
On YouTube— Steve mancini (@Stevemancini9) November 23, 2020
Those do the same equally without any music…
— Bella ciao! (@MalcontentaLa) November 23, 2020
First world people problems…seriously….can I have an upright piano to play music and try some compositions?
— Yafes Yafes (@KayamoYafes) November 23, 2020
Nothing can silence hunger but food
— The Last Warrior (@LastWarrio) November 23, 2020
Monkeys are Barton’s latest audience. He has played Bach, Schubert, Chopin, and Beethoven for more than a decade for elephants at retirement sanctuaries, Reuters reported.
Barton hopes to raise awareness about the monkeys’ hunger while also studying their behavioural responses to classical music.
(With input from Reuters)
