IGNOTIUM PER IGNOTIUS (the unknown by way of the more unknown)

JACK QUARTET PLAYS JOHN ZORN’S MEMENTO MORI and NECRONOMICON

JACK has had a long and fruitful relationship with Zorn that goes back to 2007, and it continues to this day. Passionate and dedicated supporters of his work, they have been involved in close to 100 performances of his compositions in major venues all over the world.

Zorn’s last two quartets were composed with JACK in mind. This exciting evening features two of Zorn’s greatest masterworks—Memento Mori (with Ikue Mori as a guest soloist) and the challenging Necronomicon—marking his triumphant return to the string quartet medium after a 10 year hiatus.

Memento Mori is one of Zorn’s most personal creations—a unique, hermetic work filled with hidden messages, deep lyricism, microtones, noise, and fleeting references to Alban Berg’s Lyric Suite. Composed in 1992 and dedicated to Ikue Mori, the piece takes you on a surreal journey unlike any other. For this special performance, dedicatee Ikue Mori will improvise her signature live electronics along to JACK Quartet’s dynamic interpretation of this vexing and emotional work.

Necronomicon is in five movements, and draws upon hermeticism, alchemy, magick, mysticism, and more.

MEMENTO MORI (1992)
with Ikue Mori electronics

NECRONOMICON (2003)
I Conjurations
II The Magus
III Thought-Forms
IV Incunabula
V Asmodeus

JACK QUARTET
Chris Otto violin
Austin Wulliman violin
John Pickford Richards viola
Jay Campbell cello
with Ikue Mori electronics

This evening is a CD release concert—JACK quartet proudly announces the long awaited release of their 2 CD set of the complete string quartets of John Zorn—available at this concert from Tzadik recordings!