Schmidt, Irmin - Requiem

On Requiem, Irmin Schmidt (co-founder of CAN) blurs the line between composition and environment, delivering a quietly radical, contemplative masterpiece.

Created at his home in Southern France, the record unfolds in two sections, pairing prepared and unprepared piano with recordings of the natural world around him: water, birds, frogs, shifting air and quiet nocturnal hums. What began as a spontaneous capture of a nightingale’s song evolved into a personal ritual, with Schmidt responding instinctively at the piano and later shaping the material with long-time collaborator René Tinner. The result is a liminal space that allows the listener to embark on their own journey of contemplation.

Approaching his 89th year, Schmidt - a classically trained composer and recipient of major cultural honour in both France and Germany - brings present and distant memories into focus, their merging forming one of his most affecting and inspiring works.