Syrinx?????

[minsmusic]

I''ve heard a lot of you talk about Syrinx? I''ve only
been playing flute for about a week. What is "Syrnix"?

[fluteluversmom]

Jenny~ It is a very popular flute solo. It is known for
it's impressionist style. You can hear the midi at the link below. Kim
http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/ ... ord=Syrinx

[FluteDiddy]

Syrinx is a piece almost all flute players learn at some
point. It also is one of the most abused pieces flute players learn. I was
talking with a competition judge and he cringes when he sees someone is going to
be playing Syrinx. Technically it is a piece most players can handle in their
second or third year but its is a 5th year piece for reasons most of them dont
understand and when they play it, it shows.

[krichards]

...and, for anyone who is interested in Syrinx in the greek
mythological sense... "Pan fell in love with the Arcadian nymph Syrinx, who had
until then eluded the pursuit of both satyrs and gods. Syrinx disdained Pan, and
spurning his love and prayers, refused to take him as a sweetheart, who was
neither man nor goat. The god then pursued her, but she came to the stream of
the river Ladon in western Arcadia, and no longer being able to escape, she
asked to the nymphs of the river to change her form. And the nymphs, listening
to her prayers, turned her into marsh reeds. So when Pan wished to hold her,
there was nothing left of her except the reeds and the sound which the air
produced in them. On hearing it, however, Pan was charmed, and thinking of the
nymph, said to himself in triumph, "This converse, at least, shall I have with
you." And joining reeds of different sizes, he invented the musical instrument
that was named Syrinx after her, or sometimes Pan flute, after the god himself."
Hence, the title of this piece of music written for the flute. Not that anyone
asked...I've just always loved mythology, not as much as the flute of course!
[:p]

[minsmusic]

Thanks everyone. Another question, who wrote it and when?
(Okay, so that's 2 questions....)

[FluteDiddy]

Debussy. I want to say 1913 but I dont remember for sure

[minsmusic]

I just went to the link above and heard it. I love Debussy.
I play quite a few of his piano works. Knowing the mythological story helped
visualise the piece. Has anyone ever played it with string or piano
accompaniment?

[krichards]

According to the site I just visited, it was written in
1913, originally as part of a ballet. It's original name was "Piece for Psyche"
(another connection to mythology apparently...Cupid and Psyche). When it was
published, Debussy changed the name to "Syrinx". I believe it is meant to be
played unaccompanied, but I could be wrong. I've never heard it with
accompaniment.

[flautist blackie]

Syrinx is cool. I have it on cd as played by James Galway.
I hear my teacher play it sometimes. I have a question: when is a good time to
start attempting Syrinx for auditions and stuff? i've been playing 1.5
years.

[FluteDiddy]

I guess that depends on how good you are not on how long
you have been playing. Its considered a fairly advanced piece, probably S or J
in HS for most players to do a really good job if you go by rating. But there is
playing it and playing it. For fun you might want to learn and play it, its not
that hard technically. But to really play it, like for an audition you probably
want to wait a couple years unless you are very advanced for the time you have
played and what age you started and how much you practice and how gifted you are
and what your tone sounds like and how much musicality you have and and and. In
other words answering you without hearing you play is impossible to be accurate.
Some people get 4 years into 1.5 years. Some of us only get .5 years into 1.5
years lol