LISTEN: More New Irmin Schmidt

Irmin Schmidt unveils a second track from his upcoming album of piano pieces

Later this month, Can’s Irmin Schmidt will release a new album of piano pieces titled 5 Klavierstücke, and ahead of that, he’s now unveiled a second track from the record, ‘Klavierstück V’. You can hear it above.

The album itself consists of five piano pieces recorded last year by Schmidt on his own two grand pianos. He partly prepared his Pleyel piano in the way that he was taught by John Cage, while the other piano – his 100-year-old Steinway – remained unprepared for the recordings.

A press release explains that "all ambient sounds were recorded on site – around Irmin Schmidt’s studio – and there are no other instruments or electronics of any kind."

Schmidt explains: "The tracks are spontaneous meditations, only played once and recorded simultaneously – no edits or corrections. They are formed from an emotional memory in which Schubert, Cage, Japan (Gagaku) and Can are equally present."

Mute will release 5 Klavierstücke in conjunction with Can’s Spoon Records on November 23. It can be pre-ordered here.

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