Perotin, Sederunt Principes | Clarinet Quintet

The first half of Perotin's organum Sederunt Principes, arranged for clarinet quintet.
Pérotin (1160-1230) was a composer from the Middle Ages most well-known for his religious works and as one of the earlier composers of polyphony, music with multiple intersecting voices (as opposed to single-line chant, which had been prevalent beforehand). Though the text is lost in the instrumental arrangement, an interesting feature of Pérotin’s compositions is that important words are highlighted by drawing out their length. For example, this performance of Sederunt Principes opens with a section of all five clarinetists playing, before fading at the end to a short section with singular clarinet. In the vocal version, this long section actually only represents the first word of the text, “Sederunt,” with the rest of the sentence, “principes, et adversum me loquebantur: et iniqui persecunti sunt me,” fit into the short solo line. While not included in this shortened arrangement, a similar emphatic treatment is given to the entire second half of the piece, when the speaker pleads for God’s salvation, the highlight of the text.
Full text and translation:
Sederunt principes, et adversum me loquebantur:
et iniqui persecunti sunt me.
Adjuva me, Domine Deus meus:
salvum me fac propter misericordiam tuam.
The princes sat, and spoke against me:
they have persecuted me unjustly.
Do thou help me, Lord my God:
Save me for thy mercy's sake.

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