Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by
Abraham Fabella (2010)
Instrumentation:
Harp
Percussion (1 player):
Marimba, Vibraphone, Crotales, Tambourine, (5) Temple Blocks, (2) Cowbells (high and low), Floor Tom,
Mark Tree, Lion's Roar, Slapstick, Bamboo Wind Chimes (Small), Police (or Referee's) Whistle, Croaking
Frog (or any Rasp)
Program Note:
An "aswang" is a type of mythical creature in Filipino folklore similar to a vampire. Often used as a catch-all
phrase to describe evil spirits, this particular aswang represented in the piece is a shapeshifter, which is natural
considering the form is a kind of theme and free variations. It is also very seductive and sensual, qualities
which I attempt to exploit using the soothing timbre of the harp together and in contrast with the visceral
rhythmic quality and timbres of multiple percussion.
Near the end of the piece, the harp produces a metallic buzzing sound which is accomplished by placing the
pedal of a certain note in-between settings. This sound is an evocation of the "bungkaka," a type of Filipino
wooden buzzer meant to ward off evil spirits.
Aswang
Score
Harp
3
& 44
P
?4
4 w
w
>
&
MARIMBA
with soft mallets
Marimba
Vibraphone
Crotales
& 44 b .
& 44
& 44
# >
r
.
b
b b
b
6
F3
.
J
F
b ..
nb
>
b b J
J b
P
3
b
#
b
VIBRAPHONE
motor off with medium hard mallets
3
j
b
P
# . .
>
n
#
#
> .
b b
b #
# b
n
very articulated6
glissando
b
n
#
b b #
6
b
3
.
J
w
>
34
3
4
34
J
5
3
p
with soft mallets U
J
p
34
34
Tambourine
44
34
Police Whistle
Cowbells
Floor Tom
44
3
4
Temple Blocks
44
34
Mark Tree
Croaking Frog
Lion's Roar
44
34
Slapstick
Bamboo Wind Chimes
44
34
.
3
# #
b b.
j
j
b.
Hp.
Tamb.
T. Bl.
j
3
& 4 b. b
p
?3
4
b
11
34
34
b.
j
b j
TAMBOURINE
. #
j
b b
J
3
b.
poco
J J
3
poco
#
b . j b b
3
p
P
J
p
>
J
P
b
p
b
U
b b
2
4
2
4
f
b j
>
2
4
TEMPLE BLOCKS
with medium hard mallets
24 >
3
4
3
4
3
4
> 3
4
3
&4
Hp.
? 34
3
&4
2
4
34 J j 24
>
f
35
Mrb.
T. Bl.
.
2 b b ..
4
b
f
F
24 . b j
.
>
35
& b b j
59
Hp.
T. Bl.
&
Hp.
& b
Mrb.
Vib.
&
VIBRAPHONE
with hard mallets
&
f
b b b
34
3
4
molto f
24 b ..
.
2
4
cresc.
b
b
2
4
&
b o
> >
# >
#
>
...
.
# >
#
>
#
>
# # #
b b n #
...
.
#
#
J
#
gliss.
>
> gliss.
#
J
>
n
J
b o
3
4
b o
34
b
>
b
>
b b b
J
J b
j b
b
&
&
bb
gliss.
gliss.
4
f
p.d.l.t.
4 b
4
morendo
&
G.P.
4
4
4
4
G.P.
Grotesque q = 108
n
#
b b b b b b b b b
#
#
3 b b # b
4
p
f
3
j
4
P
b
b
b
p
J
J
p
b
j
J b b
p
>
# #
b
#
MARIMBA
>
# #
b b
J
b b b b b b b b b b
p
b ..
b b b b ..
p
> >
#
>
f
j
b b
>
o
o
b
P
o
.
34 24
J
J
J J J
p
74
b
b b b
J
&
74
b
? b J b b
&
b
j
b b
59
Mrb.
3
4
w
# ww
# w
p
freely
b
J 3
j
b
5
6
b b
b
6
88
&
Hp.
?
88
Mrb.
&
88
Crt.
&
#
b
. J bb b
3
5
3
r j
J
P
#
b
b
b b
#
R
R
b b
J
b
ww
...
w
b.
meno p
&
b b
99
Hp.
Vib.
?
&
99
Crt.
Tamb.
&
j j
&
b b
p
? .
Tamb.
> .
J
P. W.
Cwbs.
Fl. T.
.
b
.
.
..
&
j j
118
Hp.
b
b bb
58
5
8
6
8
b
5
>
b
R
ww
w
w
b > ..
Presto q= 138
24
2
4
b b b J
f boldly
b b b J
quasi
w
# ww
# w
b
3
dolce
P
U
j j j j
#
# #
j j
# .
.
.
.
J
b
P
j j
j j
# b
p
j j j j
b b
b b b
CROTALES
with hard or metal beater
b
J
p
J J
.
ww
w
5
8
6
8
5
8
6 .
8
poco
b
b
b b
p
b
b
6
8
5
8
6
8
68
68
.
J
58
6 TAMBOURINE
8 J J
b
J
b
J
3
b
f
b
pi
24 >
58 68 U .
J
J J J J J J J J J J
J
J
J J
molto
f
COWBELLS
with snare drum stick
U
58
68
24 J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J
play against thigh or hip
> b > #
#
b
b
b b
3
P3
p
b
p
Pedal down throughout
# #
#
p
6 .
8
# ww
# w
p
6
j
b
8 j .
68
j
b
b j
3
&
b
b
# b
b b
>
J J
J J J J J J
J
J
J
J J J J
J
J
J
J
J
58 68 .
sempre
# b
j ?
#
>
J
with snare
drum sticks
3
&
148
Hp.
P. W.
Cwbs.
Fl. T.
T. Bl.
b # b
>
f
b # b >
TEMPLE BLOCKS
b # b
b # b
#
>
b b
>
3
b.
b.
b j
Jb
#
3
3
four-note glissando
& b # b
Hp.
P. W.
Cwbs.
Fl. T.
? b # b
T. Bl.
M. T.
C. F.
L. R.
M. T.
C. F.
L. R.
S. St.
B.W.Chms.
& bbb
199
Hp.
34
lunga
3
4
34
TEMPLE BLOCKS
with medium hard mallets
p
P
F 5
J
3
CROAKING FROG
>
J
P dolce
3
J J
3
3
bb
b . n b
3
b # b
etc.
b # b
b # b
POLICE WHISTLE
b # b
b # b
b # b
ggg molto rapido
gg
b # b g
6
3
b b b j
j
j b b b b
3
p
P
.
.
l.v.
b b . b .
3
b # b
MARK TREE
b # b
b # b
gg
f gggg
gg
b # b
.
.
b J b
#
3
J J
.
.
3
b b b b b j
j
j .b b b
j j j
b .
b
b b n . b
.
3
P dancy
dim.
LION'S ROAR
U
U
knock on soundboard
34
34
b n
l.v.
>
J
j
gliss.
# b
b b b
J
# b
lunga
j j j j
b
b
J
b
>
>
177
j
j
#
#
#
3
b # b b # b
b # b # b b # b # b
J
J
3
P
molto cresc.
b b . .
J J
3
3
p
CROAKING FROG
Uo
b
F
U
Molto adagio q= 66
b. b
J
p
b n
>
"metallic buzz"
.
.
with fingers
SLAPSTICK
220
Hp.
S. St.
B.W.Chms.
b.
b n
>
b.
# .
b n
>
&
b
p
b b
b b b b
gliss.
morendo