John Zorn: The Complete String Quartets
Tzadik, 2025
9/10
Listen to John Zorn: The Complete String Quartets
This first-ever recording of the composer John Zorn’s Complete String Quartets, by Christoper Otto, Austin Wulliman, John Pickford Richards and Jay Campbell, i.e. JACK Quartet, unfolds across 2 discs of meticulous string interaction.
The ambient and sci-fi-esque “Cat O’Nine Tails” opens with Richards’ unpredictable viola adding much to the highly atypical climate, and “Dead Man” follows with Otto and Wulliman’s firm versus stirring violin presence that suits the busy and soft gestures.
“Koi Nidre” finishes out the first half, and is full of heartfelt and poetic song craft that’s quite soothing, while “Necronomicon” leads the back half with a controlled chaos approach where Campbell’s well timed cello makes an impression.
“The Remedy Of Fortune” and “The Unseen” exit the listen. The former emits nearly 15 minutes of intricate progressions, strong attention to atmosphere and dynamics, and the latter is quite minimal but no less impactful in its cautious finish.
The selections here were penned between 1988 and 2017, some with the JACK Quartet in mind, and the technical, sometimes jarring ideas and unorthodox stabs at classical music make this an extremely unique and memorable experience.
Travels well with: Rachel Lee Priday/David Kaplan- Fluid Dynamics; Christopher Cerrone- Beaufort Scales