Bernard Heyes (b. 1951) — Pythagorean Dreams (from Organ Symphony No. 6) (1995–96)
“Organ Symphony No. 6” (1995–96) consists of movements that have connections to ancient Greek and Roman culture. In ancient Greece, the Pythagorean cult performed music to induce peace and tranquility. “Pythagorean Dreams” is based on the Pythagorean scale which was used to evoke the music of the spheres.
English composer Bernard J. D. Heyes (b. 1951) was born in Kent and began his musical studies at age 21. As a composer, he has focused particularly on music for the organ, most especially his extensive cycle of 20 organ symphonies. Heyes’s musical style draws on a variety of influences and diverse sources of inspiration including the natural world (especially gardens and trees), states of transcendence, ancient Greek philosophy, world cultures and places, life, death, and subatomic physics. The result is music of large scale that connects to the organ’s traditional repertoire while also speaking with a profound and individual voice.