49) is a piece of programme music for solo oboe written by English composer Benjamin Britten in 1951.
[1] Each of the six sections is based on a character from Roman mythology who is briefly described:[1] The piece is between 10 and 15 minutes in length.
The music of the first metamorphosis echoes the "free-spirited" character of its titular figure: it is unmeasured and includes frequent pauses.
This contrasts with the second metamorphosis, a quick and rhythmic representation of the chariot ride of Phaeton, marked vivace ritmico.
The fifth, marked lento piacevole, is meant to convey the act of staring at a reflection in a pool.