Growing up, one of my favorite parts of learning a new piece was discovering the story behind it. Not all pieces have a concrete backstory - sometimes we have to research the context and come up with our own - but it's always a treat when you get a full story to tell.
Debussy's "Syrinx" was one of the first pieces I learned with the story as a starting point, and it really shaped my views on musical expression.
Here's a recording I made at BOIS Taipei in the spring, along with the backstory of the piece:
This is the story of Pan - half goat, half human, and God of the flute; and Syrinx - a beautiful wood nymph. Wandering through the woods, Pan catches a glimpse of Syrinx and is enamored with her beauty. He calls after her, but she doesn't respond. He follows her and tries again, but she flees. Pan Chases after Syrinx desperately, but not wanting to be found, she asks to be transformed into a reed. Pan, having no other way of being close to her, accepts his fate and turns the reed that once was Syrinx into a flute.