I have it on excellent authority that European orchestras tune to a 444 A

But not in Italy?

I agree on the older lower pitch tuning. A414 sticks in my mind. From Emanuela's notes on the twelfth root of two=~1.06; 440/414 =~ 1.06 so A414 is approximately one semitone down from where we do it today. 444/440=1.0090909..., roughly a sixth of a semitone. This would be scarcely noticeable to even the most perfectly pitched ear.