The sonic cathedrals of Bruckner

Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor lies somewhere between heaven and earth, with pure and simple moments that contrast against great cathedrals of sound.

On Friday, Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra explored Bruckner's Ninth for the first time together. It was an hour-long journey that couldn't be hurried, a climb up Mount Everest that, in the end, took you to an unexpectedly spiritual place.

In three movements, Bruckner's most transcendent symphony was unfinished at his death, and may have been his own farewell to life. A deeply religious man, the composer was not searching for meaning but expressing his faith. It exudes a kind of mystical radiance.

Hearing the sonic splendor of the expanded brass choir in Music Hall's acoustical space seemed to emphasize the grandeur of this music. There was the ringing chord at the end of the first movement, for instance, and the extraordinary timbre of the four Wagner tubas that colored the finale.

The journey began in the primordial depths, and traveled seamlessly through towering summits and sunny, Austrian valleys. From the first movement to the last, Järvi’s view was spacious, full of warmth and richly detailed, and his pacing evolved naturally.

The string sound was plush and the brass choirs were immaculate and beautifully shaped. The driving power of the scherzo was a riveting contrast to the delicate character of the trio at its center. Softer moments had a sweetness and poignancy; massive buildups had shattering power.

Järvi allowed his soloists freedom of expression, yet one always felt a sense of architecture. The third movement was a glowing summation, unhurried and warmly played. The orchestra, playing at the height of its powers, sounded magnificent.

A brass-lover's evening, the first half was devoted to the sound of the trumpet. Swedish virtuoso Hakan Hardenberger, who is a professor at the Malmo Conservatory, was soloist in works by Estonian composers Arvo Part and Eino Tamberg.

Part wrote his "Little Concerto on B-A-C-H" for Hardenberger by adding a trumpet line to his atonal canvas, "Collage on B-A-C-H" of 1964. The trumpet part made a compelling counterpoint, and definitely enhanced the original piece (which Järvi has recorded on Virgin Classics).

In the second movement, Hardenberger's sound on the piccolo trumpet was striking in the quotation of a Bach Sarabande (from Bach's English Suite No. 6), which was answered in the orchestra by slow-moving tone clusters.

Tamberg's Concerto was a vibrant showpiece for the trumpeter's superb control, tonal color and stunning phrasing. Tamberg composed his work for Russian trumpet virtuoso Timofei Dokshitcher in 1972, and its style is reminiscent of Shostakovich. The finale was a staccato perpetual motion, played with relentless bursts of energy.

For an encore, Hardenberger showed the range of his artistry in a slow, sensuous "My Funny Valentine."

The concert repeats at 8 p.m. today in Music Hall. Tickets: 513-381-3300, www.cincinnatisymphony.org. What did you think? Submit your own review and rate this concert at cincinnati.com/entertainment.