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I Musici founder dies

RIP

norman lebrecht

September 26, 2023

The Spanish violinist Felix Ayo, founder of the Italian ensemble I Musici and leader of the Quartetto di Roma, has died at the age of 90.

He is credited on dozens of major-label recordings.

Comments

Ricardo says:

September 26, 2023 at 7:27 am

He was the nephew of my very first violin teacher, Ernesto Ayo. His performance, with Quartetto Beethoven, of the Schumann piano quintet and Webern’s arrangement of Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony in Bilbao (1980?) was one of my early musical epiphanies. I was fortunate to play the Bach double concerto with him and the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra in 1981. Rest in peace.

David K. Nelson says:

September 26, 2023 at 11:38 pm

The death of Felix Ayo brings to mind those marvelous early recordings of I Musici where he would share solo duties with Roberto Michelucci (1922 – 2010), often in duet in concerti grossi by Corelli and others, and the Bach Double.

Now THAT was a one-two punch of fine violin playing!

It would be a pity if the modern-day preference for digital sound, period instruments and tuning, and so-called “authentic” performance practices would put those spectacular recorded examples of great Italian string playing into the shade. Treasure your LPs if you have them.