Some musical performances by Flo Menezes
The composer at the piano or by conducting: here are some musical performances by Flo Menezes, which can reveal some interest. These are not accomplished recordings (sometimes Flo Menezes is just "reading" a masterpiece at his piano), but rather musical attestations of the aesthetical approaches of Flo Menezes when affronting some of his favorites.
Himself
First performance of Flo Menezes as a conductor, conducting the pre-première of his youth piece Batagela Expressiva on 24 June 1982 at the Music Departament of the University of São Paulo (USP), with Marcelo Império Grillo (flute), Newton Carneiro (viola), Robert de Oliveira (percussion) and Hermes Jacchieri (piano) (8,4 MB) 
Webern
A historical document: the first Brazilian performance of the Konzert Op 24 by Anton Webern conducted by Flo Menezes at the age of 21, on April 13, 1984, during the "II Semana da Composição" at the Anfiteatro da USP, University of São Paulo. The concert was broadcasted by the Rádio Cultura FM of São Paulo on May 31, 1984.
All the musicians were students at that time:
Piano: Paulo Álvares;
Flute: Mikhail Malt;
Oboe: Daniel Leicand;
Clarinet: Luiz Raele;
Trumpet: Luiz Macedo;
Trombone: Donizetti Fonseca;
French horn: Michael Alpert;
Violin: Mayra de Oliveira;
Viola: João Maurício Galindo;
Conductor: Flo Menezes.
Listen to this performance (30.8 MB)
(and also to the public analysis of Flo Menezes of this piece under >lectures & (audio-)documents)
Brahms
A domestic video made in 2007 in which Flo Menezes “reads” at his piano Brahms’ Intermezzo Op 117, n. 2, exercizing distinct tempi (19.6 MB; from 10’50” to 11’05” he plays the main chords of his work Retrato Falado das Paixões)
Haydn
Flo Menezes interpreting the Sonata n. 18 of Joseph Haydn at his piano at home in February 2012:
First movement
Second movement
Third movement
Jazz
Flo Menezes relaxing and playing jazz in February 2012
Liszt
Flo Menezes interpreting the Consolation n. 1 of Franz Liszt at his piano at home in September 2012
Pousseur
Flo Menezes interpreting Apostrophe of Henri Pousseur at his piano at home in September 2012
Himself
Flo Menezes conducting live (after more than 25 years without conducting) his work Contesture IV – Monteverdi altrimenti on 5 September 2012 at the SESC Vila Nova, São Paulo, during the IX Bimesp 2012: see on > works > Contesture IV – Monteverdi altrimenti.
Josquin Desprez-Menezes
Flo Menezes interpreting his piano transcription of the Renaissance masterpiece Mille regretz of Josquin Desprez at his piano at home in April 2013, based on which he wrote in the same year his piece Contrafacta for brass quintet and electronics
Beethoven
Flo Menezes reading at his piano in April 2013 two of his most beloved Sonata movements by Beethoven: Op 101, n. 1 and Op 110, n. 1; he played the first one at the age of 17 at his admission examination for the Composition Course at the University of São Paulo (USP) at the end of 1979:
Op 101, n. 1
Op 110, n. 1
Schönberg
Flo Menezes interpreting in May 2013 Schönberg's 6 kleine Klavierstücke Op 19
Schubert
Flo Menezes interpreting in July 2013 Schubert's Scherzo of his Sonate D959
Brahms
Flo Menezes interpreting three of his Brahms favorites in July 2013:
Intermezzo Op 118, n. 2
Intermezzo Op 119, n. 1
Es ist ein Ros'entsprungen Op 122 for organ, at the piano
Es ist ein Ros'entsprungen Op 122, at the organ
Brahms-Menezes
Flo Menezes interpreting his piano transcription, made on February 27, 2014, of Brahms' Lied Wohl schön bewandt, from Liebeslieder Walzer Op 52, n. 7, in October 2014 (see the manuscript under >works>transcriptions):
Wohl schön bewandt Op 52, n. 7
Mahler-Menezes
Flo Menezes interpreting on July 21, 2017, his piano transcription, made in 2004, of the Adagietto of the Fifth
Symphony by Gustav Mahler (see the score under >works>transcriptions):
Adagietto (of the Fifth
Symphony)
Chopin
Flo Menezes interpreting the Nocturne 20b in c sharp minor of Chopin at his piano at home on April 6, 2018
Rachmaninov
Flo Menezes interpreting two Preludes (1901) of Rachmaninov at his piano at home:
on November 18, 2019: Prelude Op. 23, number 4
on April 17, 2020: Prelude Op. 23, number 10
Revolutionary Chilean Theme
Flo Menezes interpreting the revolutionary Chilean theme El pueblo unido jamás será vencido at his piano at home on January 6, 2020
Grieg
Flo Menezes interpreting two Lyric Pieces of Grieg at his piano at home in 2024:
Niels W. Gade Op. 57, number 2
Traumgesicht Op. 62, number 5
Schumann
Below, one of Flo Menezes' first scores, acquired when he was still 13 years old:
Robert Schumann's Phantasie Op. 17 was one of the works that definitely moved Flo Menezes towards composition when he was just 13 years old. Here, Flo Menezes plays the third piece, in a recording from February 2025:
Phantasie Op. 17, number 3
Another work by Schumann that was decisive for the young composer Flo Menezes was the Album für dia Jugend Op. 68. Below is Flo Menezes playing four pieces from this work, recorded on February 24, 2025:
Album für die Jugend Op. 68, number 13: "Mai, lieber Mai, – – – Bald bist Du wieder da!"
Album für die Jugend Op. 68, number 21 (without title)
Album für die Jugend Op. 68, number 26 (without title)
Album für die Jugend Op. 68, number 30 (without title)