Nature and the Pipe Organ

    The association of the Pipe Organ with nature begins quite early, much before the first organ. Flutes have of course existed since prehistory and when cultures began combining them together to form ranks of pipework, we get an instrument like the Syrinx (One of the precursors to the Pipe Organ). The rather morbid story (in one version) is that a water nymph was trying to escape the advances of Pan (The Greek god) and had herself turned into a reed. The still infatuated Pan proceeded to cut her into many pieces of gradually decreasing length and joined them together to form a musical instrument naming it after the nymph he had just shredded, Syrinx. Note this interpretation of Pan and his flute, from the cover of a songbook. Pan was seldom seen without it; it is almost as much a part of his identity as is wine.

    This Pan-flute of course now becomes a symbol of nature. This association is important because there are other Gods with musical instruments too. (Apollo and his lyre for instance, or Athena, the Greek inventor of the simple flute) yet this pan-flute instrument was yoked to the Greek god of Nature, of The Wild, of Shepherds and fertility (especially connected to the fruitful season of spring)

The Greeks understood the importance of music and used it not just for entertainment but also for refining of character. Musical contests were common but interestingly, flute playing was limited to certain occasions as its sound seemed to "arouse enthusiasm and passion" (Aristotle, Politics, viii 3) they considered it more valuable. More elevated. Flutes were common in Greek drama because they could convey more passion.