Mozart’s favorite pet: a starling that could sing his melodies

Colorado pianist Katie Mahan at the Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg

Mozart had a number of pets over the course of his short life, but one stands out above all the others: his pet starling. The bird first attracted Mozart's attention in May of 1784 when he heard it singing the melody of his latest — and not yet published — piano concerto. How did the bird know the melody if the concerto had not yet been published? Was he psychic?

On this week's Mozart Snapshot, pianist Katie Mahan reveals the story of Mozart's talented bird as she takes a summer stroll through the beautiful Mirabell Gardens and visits the Papagenabrunnen.

Katie is a native Coloradan but now lives in Salzburg, where she is following in Mozart's footsteps in her weekly video blog Mozart Snapshots.


Hear Midday Mozart every weekday at noon

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