César Rodrigues do Nascimento

César Rodrigues do Nascimento (1879-1925) was a multitalented musician, devoted to violin, to orchestra conduction, to composition and to motion picture music creation. As a violinist he was often a solo player in several orchestras during religious and profane festivals which took place in Funchal where he was recognised as a “distinct musician”. As a conductor, he led two of the most important Madeiran Philharmonic Bands : «Artistas Funchalenses» and «Artístico Madeirenses» (guerrilhas). As far as composition is concerned, he starred in several domains: he composed sacred music, such as Saint Cecily Symphony that was very successful in Madeiran churches for several years; several plays for Philharmonic Band such as a “Clarinet polka” suggestively entitled «Um Passeio a Cascaes»; and other plays such as a work for piano and violin named «Flores de Maio: Sinfonia».

Apart from that, Nascimento was a pioneer motion picture music composer. He was founder and leader of a group which was named after him, “O Quinteto Nascimento” (which might have also been a sextet), very successful in Funchal parties and during the film sessions of the Circus Theatre, as we can infer from several advertisements published in “Diário de Notícias”. On the 4 th of January 1925, for instance, an advertisement announced that the film comedy «O Amigo Fritz» would be projected at the Circus Theatre to the sound of the “Nascimento” quintet.