Biography
Biography
Drahomíra Matznerová Chvátalová studied at the Prague Conservatory under the tutelage of Professor Jan Hora and at the Academy of Performance in the studio of Professor Jaroslav Tůma. At the time of her studies, she participated in numerous organ courses in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and France under the leadership of Petr Eben, Martin Sander, Heidi Emmert, Jan Jongepier, and Jan Willem Janssen. As a student, she won 3rd prize at the Petr Eben Organ Competition, and at the Moravian Autumn international music competition she advanced to the semifinals.
The bulk of her repertoire consists of romantic and modern music, with a special emphasis on French organ literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. For Czech Radio, she has recorded premieres of works by the leading Czech composers Jiří Ropek, Jiří Laburda, Jan Bernátek, Karel Sklenička and Emil Viklický.
As a soloist, she performs in concert regularly in the Czech Republic and abroad. She has appeared at such festivals as the St. Wenceslas Festivities, Days of Contemporary Music, Tanvald Musical Spring, and the Český Krumlov Chamber Music Festival. In the autumn of 2009 she performed the Concerto for Organ and Orchestra by Francis Poulenc at the closing concert of the Malá Strana Chamber Festivities. In 2010 she gave a solo recital at the Prague Spring International Music Festival, and that same year she performed at the Kutná Hora International Music Festival and organ festival at the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. In 2012 at the PROMS festival, together with the trumpet soloist Jan Hasenöhrl she gave the world premiere of Emil Viklický’s composition Variations on Over The Rainbow. Wherever she has appeared on stage, she has been highly regarded by music critics. In the coming season, she will be appearing as a soloist with the Prague Symphony Orchestra at Smetana Hall in Prague in the Concerto for Organ and Orchestra by Petr Eben.
Drahomíra Matznerová is also in demand as a performer of chamber music, collaborating with leading vocal and instrumental soloists. In addition to playing in chamber music and as a soloist, she works continuously with various ensembles performing the oratorio repertoire.
Since 1995, she has held the position of organist at the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Prague – Malá Strana, where she played for Pope Benedict XVI at his visit to the Infant Jesus of Prague. Additionally, since 1996, she has been the organist for ceremonies held at New Town Hall.
Review of the concert-Guilmant Symfony in d Minor for Organ and Orchestra at Smatana Hall Hudební rozhledy-Jan Hora
In Guilmant Symphony for Organ and Orchestra off, flamboyant virtuosity and temperament Organist Drahomíra Matznerová. Convincingly captured the dramatic moments of the first sentence and quick movement finals and while playing table organ was placed in the far corner of the stage, performing clearly dominated.. read more...
Review of the concert with BRNO PHILHARMONIC February 2017 ,Magazine Harmonie-Robert Hugo ....At the end we could hear not so famous concert Symphony No.1 for the organ and orchestra by Alexander Guillmant, presented by an excellent soloist Drahomíra Matzner. I think that the soloist really enjoyed the concert including the briliant final sentence, which was felt by the conductor in a very lively pace. She managed perfectly not only with the fast passages which were brilliant but understendable, but also with the thrush free sentence. And what was maybe even more difficult - with the organ in the Besední house, which unfortunatelly are not specifically disposed for the French romantic music. Nevertheless they played an equal counterpart to the orchestra in her interpretation, and they could sound for me unexpectable romantic colours...
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Rewiew of the concert with BRNO PHILHARMOIC February 2017 Magazine HUDEBNÍ ROZHLEDY-Stanislav Tesař Dramaturgic and interpretation top of the evening was represented by Symphony No.1 d moll, op.42 written in 1878 by the mentioned Felix Alexander Guilmant. The work itself is the author´s adaptation of the organ sonata No.1 (from the cycle of 8 parts for the solo organ) into the form of the concert symphony. It worths praise that it was made part of the subscription cycle of Brno philharmony as the audience of Brno concerts cannot often encounter this segment of organ repetoire of French romantic works. Moreover it is work of the composer that is not frequently performed in Central European area and as it was shown, it is not justifiable that he is neglected. Presentation of Guilmant opus was accepted with warmth and it is mainly thanks to the interpretation of Drahomíra Matzner Chvátal, graduate of Prague Academy of music in the class of Jaroslav Tůma, who is without doubt in the top of Czech organ players of middle generation. She is a matured interpreter with a virtue for organ music of French romanticism and she enthusiastically makes it popular. She presented her ability and a developed sense for interpretation nuances that is required by French organ repetoire of the romantic period when coping with not favourable acoustic character of the concert hall in the way that the richness of the romantic soundness of Guilmant opus was touched the least. It was not an easy task as the organ in Besední house is not the instrument for the interpretation of this type most convenient. It is necessary to add that the final sound feeling was surprisingly more favourable than the sound feeling at interpretation of the symphonies in the first part of the concert, and that it is even with the instrumental enrichment of the orchestral part. Sovereign player´s technique that was used to manage with excellence the interpretational threats of Guilmant concert and a well-advised interpretational approach to his internal structure make the whole picture of the artist who can cope with sovereign security with limiting conditions of the concert hall with all aspects that are necessary for convincing presentation of Guilmant work. We can only wish to welcome Drahomíra Matzner Chvátalová in Brno more often, and moreover as she also has in her repetoire compositions of authors from Brno.
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Review new CD ROMANTIC ORGAN HARMONIE 4/2014-I. Černíčková
... At this moment gradate all artistic quality performer and I admit that I can not remember the last time me while listening to recorded music ran as follows willies. Matznerová has the sovereign, the ability to build long musical idea spanning more minor issues, the art clearly articulate their concept of the song and present in all their game so impressive that I have with every other tone wanted to sit in the audience that night. I know I applauded warmly, sincerely and emotionally.
Toccata trift jazz, Review of the concert at Zwiessel september 2015 (German)
.....Die „Suite Gotique“ op. 25 des französischen Komponisten und Organisten Léon Boëllmann ist eines der bekanntesten und zugleich mitreißendsten Werke der Orgelliteratur. Sehr viel gespielt daraus wird die Toccata. Bei der Interpretation von Frau Matznerová passte alles: die perfekt durchgehörte Registrierung, das Tempo und - die Orgel, die für die Wiedergabe der romantisch-französischen geradezu prädestiniert ist. Alexandre Guilmant war mit der Pastorale op. 26 vertreten, Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wely mit dem bekannten - sehr schnell gespielten - Sortie Es-Dur. Es gab noch einige „jazzorientierte“ Stücke - von denen sich Christopher Pardinis Toccata on Gospel „Amazing Grace“ besonders heraus hob. Krönender Abschluss - es gab leider keine Zugabe - des gelungenen Einstands der diesjährigen Orgeltage war der letzte Satz aus der d-moll Symphonie von nochmal Alexandre Guilmant - wirklich in jeder Hinsicht grandios. Einzig schade war, dass wegen technischer Probleme die Videoübertragung nicht stattfand - aber dafür war der Hörgenuss umso größer ...
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DRAHOMÍRA MATZNEROVÁ AT THE CHURCH OF ST WENCESLAS By Julius Hůlek (Review of the Prague Spring concert held on 29 May 2011)
Aptly introducing the collection of truly wonderful compositions was a performance of the Toccata and Fugue in F Minor by Bedřich Antonín Wiedermann, a pioneer of modern Czech organ performance. With well-judged dynamic articulation of entrances, the performer allowed the rich musical density to unfold, and her musical resources, especially her brilliant technique, were put at the service of a conception evoking a broadly diverse palette of moods, including her appropriate choice of gradations of registration in the fugue. Characterized by obvious, interpretively sensitive descriptiveness was the following Consolation No. 4 in D-Flat Major by Franz Liszt, enhanced with a special character through agogic shaping and the choice of contrasting wistful lyricism. The Chorale on the Chorale “Hallelujah! Gott zu loben, bleibe meine Seelenfreud!” is a great work by the absolutely unique late romantic composer Max Reger. The performance of the composition unfolded in clearly audible and well differentiated sonic ranges, and it was impressive above all for its conceptual shaping, leading from chaos to the establishment of order and above all a feeling of triumph. We appreciate that the fugue basically avoided the temptation for flashy registration (except perhaps for the very end), and we would emphasize the Mrs. Matznerová’s determined commitment to the performance. In all respects, the concert was captivating, as was illustrated, among other things, by the impression from the sequence of the next two compositions – the calm, narrative tone of the Ballade en mode phrygien, op. 14 by Jehan Alain and the Toccata from the Suite, op. 5 by Maurice Duruflé, a piece with rather mysterious content that nonetheless reaches a climax in a celebratory mood. The Pastorale in A Major, op. 26 by Alexandre Guilmant served suitably as a break (although by no means episodic) before the final work, the three-movement Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, op. 42 by the same composer.With her festival appearance, Drahomíra Matznerová convincingly demonstrated once again her wonderful performing abilities, especially for the interpretation of the romantic organ repertoire. Besides the specific programming features already mentioned, her recital showcased aspects of the art of organ music that unfortunately are presented very seldom. She was obviously absorbed in her performing, and she played with admirable dynamism (it was also possible to watch video of her playing projected on a screen) and unwavering verve. Her artistry bears the seal of mature deliberation and outstanding talent, promising much for the future
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„Pro kabelovou televizi o svých začátcích “
REVIEWS FOR ORGAN FESTIVAL IN OLOMOUC Richard Pogoda Hudební rozhledy-review 11/2013
Drahomíra Matznerová made her first appearance performing at the festival in Olomouc. Already at the afternoon rehearsal, it was obvious that she greatly enjoys making music. Before the actual concert, she showed no sign of any nervousness. She gave a confident, spirited account of frequently performed works by B. A. Wiederman, Max Reger, and Maurice Duruflé. Especially the Toccata (1933) by the French master is an enormously difficult work in terms of both technique and expression. The image shown thanks to a camera system must have pleased the audience, because the challenging bass figures were transformed into an enchanting ballet of black slippers on the organ pedals.When we add to that the Garneresque stride piano figures for the left hand, rarely heard on the classical organ, in the music of J. M. Michell, I have to say ‘hats off’ to Drahomíra Matznerová. The public showed its satisfaction by demanding two encores. Many members of the enthusiastic audience then pressed their way into the organ loft to thank the performers personally. Now who can explain why people say Olomouc audiences are conservative? of …
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FINAL RETURN festival in Teplice " Rafael Brom Hudební rozhledy 8/2013-review
….The second work on the programme was the Symphony in D Minor, op. 45 by Alexandre Guilmant. Drahomíra Matznerová handled the difficult situation with tempos à la Celibidache with the wisdom of Solomon – she assumed the leading role, and the performance of Guilmant’s work deservedly became a highpoint of the festival. Matznerová drew a wide range of expression from her instrument, evoking many variants of Romantic imagery, and this monumental, sonically rich Romantic work with lovely dance-like passages sounded forth in all its beauty in the extraordinarily favorable acoustics of the Teplice concert hall. Although the condition of the instrument forced the soloist to make some adjustments to the registration, she filled the space of the hall with surging organ sound with very attentive orchestral support, changing over to cheerful solo passages, then later some pleasing sounds and a victorious cadenza, enchanting piano passages, and a majestic, triumphant conclusion. In this piece, the North Bohemia Philharmonic (Teplice) gave of its very best, bringing off Guilmant’s music successfully. It was Drahomíra Matznerová who de facto took control of the careful structuring of the music’s tempos, the broad range of dynamics, and the diversity of expression, and not only of her own instrument. After the appreciative ovation, she played the Toccata for Organ by Léon Boëllmann as an encore.
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