Absolute conviction: Alina Ibragimova and friends in Shostakovich and Messiaen

Two masterpieces by Shostakovich and Messiaen, written at the height of World War 2 in circumstances of danger and stress, were presented in the Queen Elizabeth Hall with absolute conviction by Alina Ibragimova and friends; really, there is no other way to perform them. Both works show their composers at their most direct and emotional; Shostakovich experiencing a loss of a close friend and the shock of hearing about the horror of Nazi violence against the Jews, and Messiaen, composing while imprisoned in a prisoner of war camp, finding a note of hope for his fellow captives.

Shostakovich’s Second Piano Trio was written directly after his most intense symphony, the Eighth. Whereas that work was criticised for being too pessimistic, the Trio was awarded the Stalin Prize. The difference between the two works is that symphony is harmonically progressive and angry in its musical language, while the Trio plainly and sympathetically speaks of feelings about loss and sadness, which must have struck a chord for many in those dark times.

In our own dark times, this music is powerful still, especially when presented as unflinchingly as here. Ibragimova’s brilliantly impassioned playing was centre stage, but she didn’t overshadow Marie-Elizabeth Hecker (cello) or the ultra-sensitive pianism of Cédric Tiberghien. In fact, one of the most impressive elements of their playing for the whole concert was how they matched each other in intensity and musical understanding.

The strange ambivalence of the first movement was captured well and the wildness of the Allegro con brio was pushed to its limit. The slow movement was heartbreaking, with both string players finding something beyond the notes in their controlled intensity. Strength of feeling and a shadowy threat were projected powerfully through the insistent repetition of the Jewish folk material Shostakovich used so effectively.

The Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time) is the work launched Messiaen into public consciousness, and it remains his most loved. Even though its eight movements have religious titles, as was the norm for this composer, one feels that they have a more human touch. This effect is primarily achieved by the movements which showcase the three soloists. These movements are visceral in their emotions. Matthew Hunt’s clarinet solo, Abîme des oiseaux, is the widest ranging and virtuosic. His well-rounded tone, power and unfussy technique were spellbinding throughout. Hecker’s beautiful Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus had a strength and evenness of tone that was very impressive. The swansong Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus was impossibly rapt and yet passionate, Ibragimova’s high notes in the final bars impossibly exquisite. In accompaniment, Tiberghien held everything together with an acute sense of collective musicality. A deeply moving experience from four consummate musicians, full of honesty and commitment.