Felipe Libon: 30 Caprices

Violinist Mario Pérez presents the first complete recording of Felipe Libón's 30 Caprices (1775-1838), released by IBS Classical. This extraordinary project, recorded at the Auditorio Manuel de Falla and produced by Paco Moya, stands as a brilliant example of artistic research through performance-a dialogue between past and present that restores to the repertoire one of Spain's most fascinating yet overlooked violinists. A disciple of Giovanni Battista Viotti, Libón was born in Cádiz into a French family and became one of the most refined violinists of his generation. Active in the courts of Lisbon, Madrid, and Paris, he was admired for his elegance, precision, and expressive warmth. Performing on a Stradivari violin and pioneering the use of the modern Tourte bow, Libón combined the grace of the Classical style with a technical brilliance that anticipated Paganini. With both intellectual rigor and musical sensitivity, Mario Pérez-Associate Principal in the Spanish National Orchestra and member of the Trío Musicalis-revives Libón's forgotten masterpiece using his Andrea Castagneri (1696-1747) violin, whose rich and luminous tone connects the listener to the sound world of the early nineteenth century. Each of the thirty Caprices focuses on a distinct technical or expressive aspect, forming a complete and vivid compendium of violin technique and artistry.