Name: Bingham, Judith: Organ Concerto No.2: The Dragon Rises
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Bingham, J: Organ Concerto No.2: The Dragon Rises

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Commissioned by Stockholm Cathedral, (Storkyrkan), and first performed on the 31 December 2023 in Stockholm Cathedral by Mattias Wager (organ) and musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Johan Hammarström.

In the Storkyrkan, Stockholm, there is a life-size carving in wood of St. George and the Dragon, an astounding piece of workmanship by Bernt Notke, made around 1489. At the side of the sculpture is another of the Princess, with the Lamb of God. I was asked to write an organ concerto inspired by this artwork.

I took the story as told in A Golden Legend, by Jacobus de Voragine, a collection of medieval hagiographies. In the town of Silene in Lydia, the people are oppressed by a dragon living in a lake. After sacrificing many people and livestock, the town demands that the King gives his daughter to the monster. As she is about to be devoured, Saint George, then a wandering knight, rides past, and offers to kill the dragon, in return for the town converting to Christianity. They agree to this and the beast is killed. (The music imitates a Battalia by Heinrich Biber). But far from getting the princess and living happily ever after, George then faces a long drawn out martyr's death accompanied by many miracles.

I couldn't help but think of the natural world of the lake which is a backdrop to this story. In particular, the life-cycle of the dragonfly, (another apex predator), which continues despite the disruption of the dragon. 3 'Natural Interludes' punctuate the story, and at the end, the power of nature reasserts itself in all its mystery.

The quotes in the score are from:

The Golden Legend or Lives of the Saints. Compiled by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa, 1275. First published 1470. Englished by William Caxton, First Edition 1483.

Beowulf , anonymous author from around 975 to 1025

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