Felix Mendelssohn - Mendelssohn X Files (Uxía Martínez Botana)

Information

Composer: Felix Mendelssohn

1. String Quartet No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 44 No. 3, MWV R 28: III. Adagio non troppo (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana)
2. 4 Pieces for String Quartet, Op. 81: No. 3, Capriccio, MWV R 32 (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana)
3. 4 Pieces for String Quartet, Op. 81: No. 4, Fuga, MWV R 23 (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana)
4. String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80, MWV R 37 (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana): I. Allegro vivace assai
5. String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80, MWV R 37 (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana): II. Allegro assai
6. String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80, MWV R 37 (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana): III. Adagio
7. String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80, MWV R 37 (transcr. Uxía Martínez Botana): IV. Finale. Allegro molto

Uxía Martínez Botana, double bass

Sergey Ostrovsky, violin

Alexander Kagan, violin

Noémie Bialobroda , viola

Date: 2025

Label: Fuga Libera

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In her debut project for Fuga Libera, Spanish double bassist Uxía Martínez Botana reimagines Mendelssohn by replacing the cello with double bass in the string quartet. This bold choice unveils new colors, textures, and emotional depth, from joyful warmth to raw grief. A distinguished soloist and former principal bass of Kremerata Baltica at 23, Botana leads the ensemble with artistry and vision, joined by three outstanding musicians. Their interpretation preserves Mendelssohn’s spirit while reshaping the quartet’s balance with subtlety and imagination. The project stands as both homage and innovation—an exploration of tradition renewed without losing authenticity.

Uxía Martínez Botana (b. 1988) is a Spanish double bassist acclaimed for her solo, chamber, and orchestral career. Beginning piano and double bass at age six, she studied in Spain and later at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with leading bassists from the Berlin Philharmonic. At 23, she became principal bass of Kremerata Baltica under Gidon Kremer, collaborating with major artists such as Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim. She has since held principal positions with the Weinberger Kammerorchester, Brussels Philharmonic, and Oxford Philharmonic. Alongside orchestral work, she is a sought-after chamber musician, festival performer, professor, and founder of the Rubik Ensemble.

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