The Mountain View Festival Presents:

Stories Without Words...

Music by Mendelssohn, Chopin and Bacewicz

In Stories Without Words, pianist Maxim Heijmerink invites you on a personal journey through music that speaks without language. A recital with story telling in which Maxim will not only tell the stories through music but also talks about the personal life of the composers behind the music.

The program begins with Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words — lyrical miniatures by a true prodigy who, by the age of ten, had already written an opera. Mendelssohn was not only a gifted composer but also a philanthropist who supported his musicians and left a profound legacy in Leipzig, the city where Maxim currently studies at the conservatory named after him.

The journey continues with Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantaisie, a work filled with longing for his homeland. After Russia invaded Poland, Chopin left for Paris, where he lived the rest of his life. Though he became famous there, his heart and thoughts were always in Poland.

After a short intermission, Mendelssohn’s Variations Sérieuses reveal a more dramatic side of the composer, reflecting the complexity and the challenges he and his family faced regarding their Jewish heritage. Felix being the grandson of the famous jewish philosopher Abraham Mendelssohn.

The recital ends with Grażyna Bacewicz’s bold Piano Sonata No. 2, written in postwar Poland. Her music blends strength and lyricism, resilience and hope — a powerful voice shaped by the turmoil of her time and the aftermath of World War 2.

Each piece tells a story without words of a human composer reflecting on their life and time.