Composer

:

Benjamin Britten

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Suite

Compose Date

:

1951

Average_duration

:

13:54

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Metamorphoses (6) after Ovid, Op. 49 is a composition by Benjamin Britten, a British composer, pianist, and conductor. The piece was composed in 1951 and premiered on June 29, 1952, at the Aldeburgh Festival in Suffolk, England. The composition is based on six stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses, a collection of myths and legends from ancient Rome. The six movements of Metamorphoses (6) after Ovid are as follows: 1. Pan: This movement is based on the story of Pan and Syrinx. Pan, the god of the wild, falls in love with Syrinx, a nymph. She rejects him and turns into a reed to escape his advances. Pan cuts the reed and makes a set of pipes from it. The movement is characterized by its lively and playful melody, which captures the spirit of Pan. 2. Phaeton: This movement is based on the story of Phaeton, the son of the sun god, who asks his father to let him drive the sun chariot across the sky. Phaeton loses control of the chariot and crashes to his death. The movement is characterized by its dramatic and intense music, which reflects the tragic end of Phaeton. 3. Niobe: This movement is based on the story of Niobe, a queen who boasts about her many children and insults the goddess Leto, who has only two children. Leto's children, Apollo and Artemis, kill all of Niobe's children. The movement is characterized by its mournful and sorrowful music, which reflects the tragedy of Niobe's loss. 4. Bacchus: This movement is based on the story of Bacchus, the god of wine, who punishes the sailors who refuse to worship him. The movement is characterized by its lively and rhythmic music, which captures the festive and wild spirit of Bacchus. 5. Narcissus: This movement is based on the story of Narcissus, a beautiful youth who falls in love with his own reflection and dies of despair. The movement is characterized by its haunting and melancholic music, which reflects the tragic end of Narcissus. 6. Arethusa: This movement is based on the story of Arethusa, a nymph who is pursued by the river god Alpheus. She prays to the goddess Artemis for help and is transformed into a spring. The movement is characterized by its gentle and flowing music, which captures the peaceful and serene spirit of Arethusa. Overall, Metamorphoses (6) after Ovid is a complex and multi-layered composition that showcases Britten's mastery of orchestration and his ability to capture the essence of each story through music. The piece is a testament to Britten's skill as a composer and his deep understanding of classical mythology.

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