The String Quartets

The String Quartets is an album of contemporary classical music by American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn performed by Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Joyce Hammann and Lois Martin.^[1] The piece Kol Nidre is a tune from Zorn's Masada songbook.^[2][3]

The String Quartets
Studio album by John Zorn
Released	July 20, 1999
Recorded	December 1998 January, April and May, 1999 at Avatar in New York City
Genre	Avant-garde, contemporary classical music
Length	64:26
Label	Tzadik TZ 7047
Producer	John Zorn
John Zorn chronology
Godard/Spillane (1999) The String Quartets (1999) Taboo & Exile (1999)

Reception

The Allmusic review by Joslyn Layne awarded the album 4 stars stating "Maybe Zorn's genius isn't that he creates entirely unique music, but he certainly has an ear for great musical ideas, gleaned from his years of deep listening. And so, while these compositions may not be landmarks among string quartet works, they are exceedingly well done".^[4]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]

Track listing

All compositions by John Zorn.

1. "Cat O'Nine Tails" – 13:44
2. "The Dead Man" – 12:27
3. "Memento Mori" – 28:57
4. "Kol Nidre" – 8:32

Personnel

• Mark Feldman – violin
• Erik Friedlander – cello
• Joyce Hammann – violin
• Lois Martin – viola

References

1. Tzadik catalogue
2. Masada World: The String Quartets, accessed January 6, 2020
3. Masada World Wiki: Kol Nidre, accessed January 6, 2020
4. Layne, J. Allmusic Review accessed August 1, 2011.