The Romeros, known as the Royal Family of the Guitar, have been performing as a quartet in one configuration or another since 1959, touring the world and making well-received recordings since 1960. They'll return to St. Louis this weekend for the first time in 11 years.

Paterfamilias Celedonio Romero, born in 1913, left Franco's Spain with his family in 1957 for greater artistic freedom, settling in Los Angeles. Performing is in the family DNA: Celedonio's sons Celin, Ángel and Pepe each made his performance debut by the age of 7. With their father, they formed the original Romeros ensemble.

Saturday night's program includes solos and ensemble pieces by Vivaldi, Granados, Boccherini, Manuel de Falla, Isaac Albéniz and others — and by Celedonio and Pepe Romero.

Celin Romero, now the senior member of the quartet, spoke to the Post-Dispatch by phone from the family home near LA. None of them spends much time there; usually a tour is going on.

First, there was the question of what to call them, because the Internet and guitar fanatics refer to them as both the Romeros and Los Romeros.

"In America, we started the Romeros," Celin Romero said. "Then, we went to Europe, and there we became Los Romeros. Actually, Los Romeros is incorrect. In Spanish, it should be Los Romero; in English, the Romeros."

All righty, then. The Romeros it is.

After more than 50 years and innumerable performances, Romero doesn't quite remember the last time the quartet was in St. Louis. He remembers one of its first visits, though, more than four decades ago. The occasion was a concerto with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and the conductor was Walter Susskind.

The group has had two changes in personnel since then. In 1991, Ángel left to pursue a solo and conducting career; Celin's son Celino took his place. The ensemble changed in a more profound way in 1995.

Until then, the Romeros had contained three generations.

"In 1995, my father did his last tour," Celin Romero said. "He got all of a sudden very sick with lung cancer and died in May of '96. My nephew Lito, the son of Ángel, took the position of my father. So now we are second and third generation."

Celin, Pepe and their wives moved into their parents' home, about 12 miles north of San Diego, to spend more time with their parents after his diagnosis.

"My father loved all of us," Romero said. "We loved him and the music and talking about the guitar."

They had nine months together. Their mother, Angelita Ines Romero, lived for three years after Celedonio died. Celin, Pepe and their families stayed on in the house.

"My nephew, the son of Pepe, has become one of the leading guitar makers in the world," Romero said. "In this house, all is guitar, and the center of all the Romeros here. It is our headquarters."

With all their solo and ensemble touring, it must be difficult to find enough time for rehearsals.

"We learn our parts," Romero said. "We just made a Christmas record. We learn all our parts, and then we just rehearse — we don't rehearse that much. By now, we know each other!"

Celin once made a recording with Pepe: "I was here, he was in Europe (before meeting for the recording session). We sat down in front of the microphone, without rehearsing. … The training we had was to listen to the same person, my father. We hear music, we feel it, the same way. For us to play in ensemble, it comes very natural. We feel what the other person wants to do."

Celin is now 74. Pepe is 68, Celino is 40 and Lito is 43.

"We are getting old," Celin Romero said.

Will a new generation of Romeros join the quartet? Possibly.

"Already, they are playing," he said. "Possibly the Romeros will be around for a long time."

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The Romeros

Presented by the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society

Where • 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Avenue

When • 8 p.m. Feb. 18

How much • $28-$36

More info • guitarstlouis.net or 314 935-6543