Martinho D'Assunção

19 June, 2014 to 25 September, 2014

O Museu do Fado apresenta uma mostra consagrada ao compositor Martinho D'Assunção por ocasião do centenário do seu nascimento. Fotografias, instrumentos musicais e discos, entre outros documentos, contam a história deste homem que além de compôr, acompanhou inúmeros fadistas e formou e dirigiu sucessivos conjuntos de guitarras. 

"Undoubtedly the first Portuguese guitarist. He is also an inspired composer. The art of Martinho d'Assunção has the divine glow of the great conceptions of the spirit. Fado owes this talented young man valuable services."

In Guitarra de Portugal, December 25th, 1945

Born in Lisbon at the parish of Santos-o-Velho, on April 12th, 1914 he was son of the poet, Martinho d’Assunção.

Soon he finds out his passion for music. He played guitar, mandolim and violin in his childhood. Martinho d'Assunção Júnior chose the guitar and, in 1927, after a concert at Politeama named “Guitarra de Portugal”, showed undoubtedly his skills of “so young guitar player”.

Quickly Martinho d´Assunção starts giving national and international shows and concerts, and in 1932, he went on a tour with Armandinho, Ercília Costa and João da Mata to Madeira and Azores Isles.

In 1933, he went on a tour to Angola, Mozambique and ex-Rhodesia to perform on the concert “Guitarra de Portugal” and at this time he went being part of a group called “Grupo Artístico de Fados”, together with Berta Cardoso, Madalena de Melo, Armandinho and João da Mata.

At the end of his life, he worked mostly in exclusive to “Faia” of Lucinda do Carmo, and when this establishment closed he was the private violinist teacher of Carlos do Carmo, to whom he played several Fado’s music.

He died on March 29th, 1992.