Musique concrète pioneer Éliane Radigue dies aged 94
- PublishedWed, 25 Feb 2026, 02:45
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- INA GRM broke the news on Instagram today.
- Éliane Radigue, a French composer and musique concrète pioneer, has died aged 94. INA GRM, the Paris-based institute for research in electroacoustics and musique concrète, broke the news on Instagram today, February 24th. No cause of death was disclosed. "It's with immense sadness that we learn of the passing of Éliane Radigue at the age of 94," the post read. "She pursued an exciting musical life, moving from electroacoustic feedback to electronic music (with the help of her inseparable ARP 2500) and finally reinventing herself through fruitful collaborations with numerous instrumentalists." Long admired by peers but historically under-recognised, Radigue experienced a wave of renewed appreciation in her later life, with reissues, retrospectives and performances cementing her status as a foundational figure in experimental sound. Born in Paris in 1932, she came of age alongside the earliest experiments in tape music, studying composition and working under the mentorship of Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry during the formative years of France's musique concrète movement. Her attention shifted to synthesis in the early '70s, developing a singular relationship with the ARP 2500 modular system. Albums such as Adnos I–III, Trilogie de la Mort and Jetsun Mila have since become touchstones of minimalist and electronic composition, revered for their emotional intensity and microscopic attention to sonic detail. In the '00s, Radigue stepped away from electronics, beginning a new chapter focused on acoustic instruments. Collaborating closely with performers, she composed pieces tailored to their individual playing styles, extending her philosophy of patience and resonance into cello, harp and wind ensembles. She performed at London's Cafe OTO and Dublin's Projects Arts Centre in recent years, and was set to play Amsterdam venue Paradiso this weekend. Listen to Trilogie de la Mort, and read some tributes.
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