The leviathan, a demoniacal sea monster that appears as a dragon or serpent, is considered in the Old Testament to be the embodiment of evil. The defeat of the demon is prophesied in Isaiah 27:1: "On that day the Lord will punishwith his cruel sword, his mighty and powerful sword Leviathan that primeval sea-serpent, that writhing serpent Leviathan, and slay the monster of the deep ."The composer's main goal is to create an atmosphere thick with agitation,tumult and extreme tension rather than ex...