Imagery In Benjamin Britten's Six Metamorphoses

The first movement of Benjamin Britten’s Six Metamorphoses After Ovid for solo oboe tells the story of Pan and the metamorphosis of the object of his affections, Syrinx. It is a character piece which Britten beautifully (opinion) portrays its imagery through the music on the page. Pan was the god of the wild and hunting. He is often shown in imagery as a half human, half goat hybrid, known as a satyr. This particular myth tells the story of Pan and his adoration of Syrinx, a very beautiful nymph. Pan made attempts to woo her, but Syrinx only scorned his romances and ran from him. Pan pursued her, but Syrinx fled to the river where she prayed for safety from Pan’s advances.
Just as Pan caught up with the nymph, her wish was granted, and she was transformed into one of the reeds which grew in the riverbed. When the wind blew against the reeds, they would produce a hollow, musical melody. The sound was reminiscent of Syrinx’s voice, and Pan still desired her in this form. Pan, ultimately unable to decipher which reed Syrinx was, chose several of the reeds and bound them together to form the instrument bearing his name, the pan flute …show more content…
At the beginning of the passage, we see the conclusion of Pan’s attempts to seduce Syrinx, as each of the passages representing his voice have become more urgent in an attempt to persuade her. Next we come to the “Lento ma subito accelerando,” which begins very slowly and increases to a very quick tempo. Nothing here changes melodically until the trill in the last line, which forms a strong sense of imagery as Pan pursues Syrinx, and we literally “hear” them in their chase, which becomes more desperate as he nearly catches her. Syrinx speaks one final time in staccato A sharps, perhaps uttering her prayer to escape him. This is immediately followed by a long, descending line, as Pan rushes to her too late, and she transforms into the