Classical Pianist Plays To Soothe Blind, Ailing Elephants At Sanctuary

It is claimed that elephants never forget. And we hope that's true especially for these elephants at the Thailand sanctuary, Elephant World, home to older elephants.

Paul Barton, a classical pianist, has been sharing his talents with a rather large audience these days. And when we say "large," we mean it literally. Barton has been spending most of his time playing his beautiful music for the gentle giants of the elephant sanctuary.

He first heard about the elephants when his wife discovered the sanctuary online. Barton explains in a video, "We liked the sound of the place being a retirement center for old, injured and handicapped former logging and trekking elephants. So we paid them a visit. I wondered if these old rescue elephants might like to listen to some slow classical music."

Barton reached out to the staff at Elephant World to see if he can bring his piano and serenade the elephants. The staff said yes.

The first time Barton began to play for the elephants, one blind elephant, was in the midst of eating breakfast and stopped the second he heard the music. Barton had played Beethoven.

Barton continues to explain in a video, "[He] was often in pain, and I like to think maybe the soothing the music gave him some comfort in the darkness," Barton tells CBS News that this elephant was the first to take to his music. The musician said this was the first elephant to really take to his music. The gentle giant later died of an infection, sadly. Barton was heartbroken to hear the news.

Barton continues to play for these old gentle giant, hoping the music soothes their soul. Even if the an elephant is blind, they don't need to see to hear and feel the music Barton is playing just for them.

01
"Lam Duan is the name of an old blind elephant, her name means “Tree with Yellow Flowers”. Lam Duan has been blind most of her life."

via Paul Barton
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02
"Mongkol is a 61-year-old former logging elephant. His captive-held life was spent hauling trees in the Thai forest. His body shape is deformed through hard labor, he lost his right eye and tusk in this brutal logging practice. Mongkol was rescued--

via Paul Barton

and brought to Elephants World to spend the rest of his days relaxing peacefully in freedom by the River Kwai. I discovered Mongkol is an extremely gentle, sensitive elephant who enjoys music, especially this slow movement by Beethoven which I play to him occasionally in the day and night."
03
"Chaichana is a powerful male elephant that lives at Elephants World in Thailand. I’ve become very close to this elephant over the past few years and seen a gentle, sensitive side to his character. --

via Paul Barton

From time to time, mainly late afternoon, Chaichana will stop by the piano of his own accord. Sometimes when he's restless (as at the start of this video) he quickly relaxes to several of his preferred pieces by Greig. "
04
"Debussy "Clair de Lune" for a gentle female elephant called Ampan. Ampan is 80 years old and lives with us as Elephants World in Thailand. She is blind in one eye and can barely see with the other. --

via Paul Barton

80 years old is very old indeed for an elephant, it's about 10 years past the natural life span of an elephant in the wild."

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Classical Pianist Plays To Soothe Blind, Ailing Elephants At Sanctuary

"Lam Duan is the name of an old blind elephant, her name means “Tree with Yellow Flowers”. Lam Duan has been blind most of her life."

"Mongkol is a 61-year-old former logging elephant. His captive-held life was spent hauling trees in the Thai forest. His body shape is deformed through hard labor, he lost his right eye and tusk in this brutal logging practice. Mongkol was rescued--

"Chaichana is a powerful male elephant that lives at Elephants World in Thailand. I’ve become very close to this elephant over the past few years and seen a gentle, sensitive side to his character. --

"Debussy "Clair de Lune" for a gentle female elephant called Ampan. Ampan is 80 years old and lives with us as Elephants World in Thailand. She is blind in one eye and can barely see with the other. --

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