They choose the simple, yet nice, name I MUSICI and they deliberately decided to shape the ensemble without a conductor, in order to establish among their twelve colleagues and friends, an egalitarian relationship thus bringing to their rehearsals as well as to their concerts, a unanimous decision on technical and interpretative problems of the scores; a rather unconventional but unexpectedly suitable procedure.
It was quite symbolic that Arturo Toscanini upon hearing them while they were rehearsing in April 1952 at the Italian Radio formulated the first enthusiastic reaction in front of journalists and musical personalities, even dedicating his portrait to the group with the words "bravi, bravissimi...no! la musica non muore".
In several European countries I MUSICI are known by a different name: I MUSICI DI ROMA. This curious anomaly was the idea of a Munich impresario to whom they had asked to be their manager for Germany and Austria. He suggested them, that they should add the attributive DI ROMA in those countries, because central European audiences, at all times in love with Mediterranean classicism, would immediately know their roots and also it will be a good publicity, for this unknown (then) Italian orchestra. After some initial puzzlement they accepted: the results were so positive that their new name I MUSICI DI ROMA was permanently adopted for the cult and exigent central European audiences.
Today, any international concertgoer can hear I MUSICI at the Mozarteum in Buenos Aires or at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona as well as I MUSICI DI ROMA at Musikverein in Vienna and will know that always is no other than the same famous Roman chamber orchestra. I MUSICI’s remarkable quality has always been, ever since its beginning, to extract from its ensemble all the required soloists- individually and in diverse instrumental combinations, so its programs offer a rich balance in styles and tonal colors.
During their Asia tour, except for the harpsichord, the other eleven musicians take their priceless strings with them. With a complicated period of history, those instruments, each of which can be worth up to $1million, were made during 16th to 18th century, including the Guadagnini violin (1751), the Amati violin (1676), the Ceruti violin (1796), etc.
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
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