Saya-A Bao a Qu (3S)

A Bao A Qu by Mark Saya for percussion trio. The A Bao A Qu is a being of almost pure sensitivity, capable of perceiving and reflecting every shade of the human soul. It has no distinct shape of its own, and its one purpose in life is to accompany human souls on their quest for nirvana which awaits at the top of the Tower of Victory. The A Bao A Qu and the soul ascend the stairway together; if the top of the tower is approached, the creature's shape grows toward completion-perfection...

When the A Bao A Qu cannot achieve completion through some failing of its companion, it suffers greatly, but its loud wailing is to us only a whisper, like the rustling of silk. According to Malay legend, the A Bao A Qu has existed since the beginning of time, and in the course of the millennia, it has come to completion only once.

Instrumentation:
Player 1 - mark tree, crotales, five gongs, two suspended cymbals, medium thunder sheet
Player 2 - four triangles, bowed cymbal, two small bowl gongs, prepared piano (instructions included)
Player 3 - five wind chimes (large glass, small glass, small metal, stone, wood), zither (untuned, placed inside piano), piano, soundboard, lion's roar, large thunder sheet