A smallish audience was on hand in the Peristyle last night as Andrew Massey and the Toledo Symphony presented a curious program that juxtaposed a piano concerto of Mozart's between nationalistic works by three Czech composers.

On hand as the evening's soloist was Czech pianist Ivan Moravec who performed the lustrous concerto in C Major, K 503. Majestic in size and spiritual scope, Moravec gave his performance a refined, even ethereal reading that challenged orchestra and audience alike. As for the orchestra, the ensemble did a fine job of matching Moravec's sophisticated but quiet intensity with near perfect melodic hand-offs and interfacings of timbre.

The evening opened with Sarka from Smetana's six movement symphonic poem cycle Ma Vlast (My Country). From its opening soaring string melodies and accompanying sighing responses through its pulsing rhythmic ostinatos and folklike dance rhythms, Sarka makes for good listening. And from the sounds last night, enjoyable playing. The orchestra made a strong showing throughout. Cellist Martha Reikow and clarinetist Ron Samuels made the best of their solo passages.

Following intermission came three of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances; a polka (No. 3), a mazurka (No. 10), and a Serbian kolo (No. 15). Rich in folklike melodies and rhythms, these pieces were designed with audience appeal as the central goal. And with their constantly shifting moods and expressive devices, appealing they are. Not to worry if you don't like a section, just wait thirty seconds and Dvorak will give you something completely different.

The evening closed with Leos Janacek's far more substantial Sinfonietta. Containing some of the most glorious brass writing ever conceived, this tonally conservative and deeply emotional work was dedicated to the Czech armed forces and written to celebrate the formation of Czechoslovakia after World War I. As for the performance, balance problems and a certain expressive breathlessness at times marred what was an otherwise excellent reading.