Irmin Schmidt - Requiem

Release date: April 24, 2026

In Requiem, Irmin Schmidt (co-founder of CAN) blurs the line between composition and environment, delivering a quietly radical, contemplative masterpiece. Available on heavy weight vinyl and CD via Mute.

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.