The violin diversity of Petr Matěják

This March, you, the PRSO, Václav Hudeček, Jan Mráček and Josef Špaček prepared a perfect artistic feast subtitled “Violin to the nth degree” that contained elements of “show” in the positive sense. Do you regard such programmes as being of value? Are you at ease doing them, or is the classic concept of the concert lacking from your perspective?

Václav Hudeček has become a Czech violin legend. His communication with the audience is captivating and always bears some elements of “show”. I really enjoy performing with him – it’s always a tremendous experience for me. The relaxed atmosphere and immediacy made the concert in March interesting, and both we musicians and the audience enjoyed it. We all became part of a kind of fireworks display of positive emotions inspired by Václav Hudeček, the enchanting music and the orchestra’s wonderful performance. Such concerts are a welcome diversification of the season.

This time the PRSO has invited you to the Rudolfinum series “Classics with Refinement” and you’re performing Sibelius’ Concerto in D minor. What is it about that piece that impresses you?

Sibelius’ Violin Concerto is among the most beautiful concertos we’ve got. It’s full of wonderful music and emotion and with all its contrasts reflects the northern landscape. It’s gentle, adorable, mysterious, exciting, tumultuous music…

From the technical perspective, is the concerto as tough as was said at the time it was written?

When a composer writes a new piece and employs lots of technically demanding elements, there will always be somebody who says it’s unplayable. It was said about Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto after its world premiere, too. Sibelius’ Concerto in D minor is among the most technically difficult, which may be a challenge to many violinists. But I have to emphasise that all the technically elements have a meaning musically.

You are 27. You have studied with famous violinists and teachers in Prague, Philadelphia and Berlin. You have won numerous competitions (Cremona, Dubai, Austria’s Johannes Brahms Competition) and performed with many orchestras. At present you’re the first concertmaster of the orchestra of Berlin’s Komische Oper. If things go as well as you can imagine, what should and could come next? Will it be exclusively a career as soloist?

Solo playing is wonderful. You’re free and independent, but also frequently alone… I enjoy doing chamber music with friends and for now I like combining all of my current activities (solo, concertmaster, chamber concerts). I like variety, new ideas and inspiration.

If you could freely choose today which concerto to perform (or perhaps to record) in your next collaboration with the PRSO, which would you choose? What music is closest to your heart?

With the PRSO I’d be very tempted by Brahms’ Violin Concert, which is frequently characterised as symphony with a solo voice. As for recording, I would choose some of Mozart’s concertos, for instance. It’s a nice thought…