The first known performance was given on 18 July 1942 in Rio de Janeiro by José Vieira Brandão [pt], piano, and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Theatro Municipal, conducted by the composer.

[5] The work is scored for solo piano and a large orchestra consisting of 2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, E♭ clarinet, 2 clarinets in B♭, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone in B♭, alto saxophone in E♭, 2 bassoons, 2 contrabassoons, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, tam-tam, cymbals, reco-reco, chocalho, side drum, tambourine, tambor, coco, cabacinhas, caxambu, cuíca, xylophone, vibraphone, celesta, 2 harps, and strings.

11 to that of the baroque concerto grosso, because of the solo role of the piano, "whose technical virtuosity on the curious fantasy of recurring themes fully confirms the tendency of its type."

However, it also takes advantage of aspects of the symphonic poem, the symphony, the classical serenade, and the fantasy, all of which contribute to explaining the extraordinary length of an hour or more in performance.

11 is in a single continuous movement, the long central modinha in slow tempo stands apart from the surrounding material, for its "languid, sequential, and dream-inhabited melody" clothed in "twisted and rather chilling harmony".