Joseph Haydn was a true star in England: he was awarded an honorary doctorate at Oxford, and King George III liked him so much that he wished Haydn would stay in the country. Yet Haydn remained loyal to his homeland. On his second visit, however, he brought back something that would always remind him of the island: a canary. The bird not only trilled, but could “sing” Haydn’s name and even whistle the Austrian national anthem. In a curious twist of fate, the canary was auctioned off after the composer’s death—for roughly thirty thousand euros in today’s money. Thus, the little canary served as a beloved pet, a living instrument, and a peculiar memento of Haydn’s legacy.