That was just one of the joys of the symphony's first morning concert of the season, which ended with the rollicking "Gypsy Rondo" from Brahms' G Minor Piano Quartet, orchestrated by Schoenberg.

Ax, who last appeared with the Cincinnati Symphony in 1990, made a long overdue return, as did Concerto No. 27, which hadn't been performed in Music Hall since 1979.

The pianist captured the "smiling through tears" mood of the movement with elegant simplicity. Nothing was glossed over, yet there was plenty of chance for virtuosity - which Ax accomplished without showiness.

Jarvi matched the pianist's warmth, and orchestral soloists made fine contributions. Part of the fun was their give-and-take with the soloist, as if they were playing chamber music.

For an encore, Ax played a radiant Waltz in A Minor by Chopin, a richly colored piano piece that waltzed between sun and clouds.

In the second half, Jarvi led the first performance in two decades of Brahms' G Minor Quartet No. 1. Schoenberg's orchestration is faithful to the original score for piano and strings; the effect is like being reproduced in high definition.

The "Gypsy Rondo" finale unfolded as a wild, swirling dance, and was performed with breathtaking virtuosity by the players. The second theme was taken by the flutes in a brilliant tour de force that included flutter tonguing.

Jarvi stamped his feet in the great gypsy theme at its center, and followed it with a heart-on-sleeve tune in the strings. The winds added spectacular flourishes (kudos to clarinetists Richard Hawley and Jonathan Gunn). As it ended with a fast-and-furious coda, the crowd (unfortunately only about 1,000) erupted in cheers.

The concert repeats at 8 p.m. today. 381-3300.

E-mail jgelfand@enquirer.com