E-Bow Guitar Breathes New Life into Perotin’s 12th-Century Masterpiece Viderunt Omnes
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PORTLAND, Oregon — Composer, guitarist, filmmaker, and recording artist Carlos Severe Marcelin announces the release of a unique interpretation of Viderunt Omnes, the monumental organum by the 12th-century composer Perotin. Rather than recreating the work with voices or period instruments, Marcelin performs the composition using the expressive, sustained voice of the electric guitar with an E-Bow.
Composed around 1198 for Christmas Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Viderunt Omnes is one of the earliest masterpieces of large-scale Western polyphony. More than eight centuries later, Marcelin approaches the work not as a historical artifact, but as a living composition capable of speaking across time.
“The goal was never to modernize Perotin. The intention was to listen deeply enough that the music could speak through a different instrument while preserving its extraordinary sense of space, patience, and wonder.”
Using the E-Bow’s ability to produce long, vocal-like sustain, Marcelin reveals the work’s architectural beauty in a new sonic landscape. The performance favors resonance and contemplation over virtuosity, inviting listeners to experience Perotin’s timeless harmonies through an instrument uniquely capable of sustaining tones beyond the limits of breath.
This interpretation reflects Marcelin’s broader artistic philosophy of creating “music for humans being.” Whether composing works inspired by the landscapes of Cascadia, writing rock operas, or reimagining foundational works of the classical canon, Marcelin encourages listeners to slow down, listen deeply, and rediscover the beauty of sustained attention.
Rather than presenting medieval music as a historical curiosity, Marcelin’s recording invites listeners to hear one of Western music’s earliest masterpieces as something immediate, resonant, and profoundly contemporary.
Marcelin earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tulane University, where he studied composition under Barbara Jazwinski, an experience that nurtured his lifelong fascination with the dialogue between historical music and contemporary expression.
About Carlos Severe Marcelin
Carlos Severe Marcelin is an American composer, guitarist, filmmaker, and recording artist whose work bridges classical tradition, experimental music, ambient sound, and progressive rock. He has released music under Carlos Severe Marcelin, The Infinity Zoo, Sally Tomato, and Silkenseed, creating music that explores presence, ecology, and human connection through immersive listening experiences.
Release Information
Artist: Carlos Severe Marcelin
Title: Viderunt Omnes
Release Date: 12/19/2025
ISRC: QMFMG2581544
Length: 12 min, 9 seconds
Composer: Perotin (c. 1198)
Instrumentation: Electric Guitar performed with E-Bow
Label: CSM Creates
Recorded at: InotSolrac Studios
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Carlos Severe Marcelin
