The Saint and the City

This tumultuous composition tells the legend of the town of Zwolle in the Netherlands. In the waters surrounding Zwolle lived a dragon. When it appeared it threatened to destroy the town with it fiery breath if a human sacrifice was not offered. St Michael confronted the dragon in a battle without equal. As a knight armed with a double edged sword the archangel battled against the dragon and decapitated it. Thus the city was saved. To represent the archangel the composer has chosen the hymn tune Laudate Dominum . The dragon is symbolised by a series of menacing chords.