Felipe Libon (1775 - 1838)
France

France

Philippe Libon (* 1775 in Cadiz , † February 5th 1838 in Paris ) was a French violin virtuoso and composer of Spanish descent. The Frenchified version of his name, because the musician much of his life in France, spent more common than his Spanish baptismal name Felipe LIBON .

The musical talent of the young Libon was recognized and encouraged early on by his family. Since Spain is not only politically, but also culturally was the end of the 18th century in an isolated peripheral location, it was Libon not possible to study in his home in a first-class contemporary musicians of international renown. With about 15 years, finally he succeeded in London pupil of the famous Italian violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti to be, at the same time, he also studied composition with Giovanni Battista Cimador on.

Viotti, who was convinced of the outstanding talent Libons, presented his protégé after a short time in large concerts the music-loving London audience. Multiple of barely twenty years old was at the London premieres of several string quartets of Joseph Haydn involved; Haydn himself, who spent the first half of the 1790s, largely in the English metropolis, praised the 'excellent reproduction' of his works.

1796, ie about 21 years, Libon was as a solo violinist at the royal court in Lisbon called two years later he moved again for a short time in his native Spain, because he had been plotted on the court in Madrid on more favorable terms of the same item. Two years later, in 1800, he went to Paris, where his reputation had already preceded him and where he was welcomed enthusiastically by the audience immediately. In 1801 he entered the service of Joséphine de Beauharnais , the wife of the then First Consul and later Emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte .

The dynastic and political upheaval of the following decades could Libons prominent position in Parisian musical life not harm: He was the successor Joséphine, Empress Marie-Louise of Austria , adopted and remained after the restoration under the returned to power Bourbons in office and dignities.

As a composer and violinist Libon continued the tradition of his teacher Viotti, from whom he also partly thematic material further processed in our own factories. His etudes for violin are propagated for today and have been for other String Instruments arranged . In contrast, his fame faded as a major virtuoso, such as the so many violinists of his generation, by the overpowering influence since the mid-1820s Niccolò Paganini quickly.

Libon was the owner of three famous violins, one on 1591 dated from the workshop of Amati brothers Antonio and Girolamo, and two instruments of Antonio Stradivari from 1693 or 1729th (Hide extended text) ... (Read all)
Source : Wikipedia