Ernesto Júlio de Nazareth was a Brazilian composer and pianist, especially noted for his creative Maxixe and Choro compositions. Influenced by a diverse set of rhythms like the polka, the habanera, and the lundu, he combined this elements with his classical formation to create compositions that he called “Brazilian tangos". These would be the precursors for what is known today as Choro. His piano repertoire is now part of the teaching programs of both classical and popular styles, as Nazareth once served at the boundary between these two worlds.
The above text from the Wikipedia article "Ernesto Nazareth" text is available under CC BY-SA 3.0.