by Bruce Reid

FRIDAY 10/20

OPUS 7--This superb choir, nonpareil as a programmer of lovely and innovative religious works, starts its season with one of the most beautiful of all pieces written for chorus. Stravinsky's Mass stands in a class by itself--hushed, ethereal, yet still informed on an almost subliminal level by the dancing rhythms so beloved of the composer. The concert is filled out with other excellent names--Pärt, Martinu, Griffiths, Mathias (also Tavener... ugh)--but the Stravinsky is the reason to go. St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave E, 782-2899, 8 pm, $17, $12 students/seniors.

SATURDAY 10/21

BENEVOLENT ORDER FOR MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE--Ever a sucker for a bad pun, B.O.M.B. opens their season with a BACH-annalia: J. S.'s Italian Concerto and the trio sonata from the Musical Offering; C. P. E.'s Flute Sonata in G; and pieces by the coeval Johann Jacob Walther. A half-dozen composers in the family and they've got to pull in this ringer Walther? Bethany Lutheran Church, 7400 Woodlawn NE, 8 pm, 325-7066, $20, $15 students/seniors/EMG members.

NORTHWEST CHAMBER ORCHESTRA--Guest conductor/pianist Ian Hobson comes in to run through Mendelssohn's harmless, flashy Concerto in G, Op. 25, No. 1. He'll lead the orchestra on the pleasant romps of Delius' On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, Schubert's Symphony No. 2, and Suk's Serenade for Strings in E-flat, Op. 6--against all odds probably the greatest piece in the program. Benaroya Hall, Nordstrom Recital Hall, 343-0445 or 292-ARTS, 8 pm, $24.50, $20 students/seniors (children under 17 free when accompanied by paying adult). Also Sun Oct 22, 2:30 pm.

TUESDAY 10/24

EMERSON STRING QUARTET--The wrenching agony of the Shostakovich cycle behind them, the most Freakishly Precise Quartet in the World returns with lighter though no less substantial fare. Ingeniously balancing works of Mozart and Beethoven against contemporaneous pieces by their respective friend and teacher Haydn, the evening offers more laughs in four quartets than DSCH managed in all 15. First, Mozart's Quartet in E-flat, K. 428, juxtaposed with Haydn's aptly nicknamed "Joke Quartet," Op. 33, No. 2; then after intermission, the more stately pleasures of Beethoven's Quartet in G, Op. 18, No. 2, and Haydn's delightfully witty Op. 77, No. 1. Meany Theater, UW Campus, 543-4880 or 292-ARTS, 8 pm, $30.

RADIO SHOWS

by Kris Adams

SATURDAY 10/21

POSITIVE VIBRATIONS--What better way to start a Saturday inna Babylon than with some roots-rock-reggae? KCMU's Saturday morning reggae showcase features the best of the genre, with tunes from its genesis in ska and rock steady through the seminal roots era and into today's dancehall sound. And if it happens to be sunny, you might not feel like you're 10 million light years away from reggae's tropical birthplace. KCMU 90.3 FM, 9 am.

NO ROOM FOR SQUARES--Tacoma's hard-bop show returns, with host Aric Effron emphasizing Blue Note recordings of the '50s and '60s. Also available online at kups.ups.edu. KUPS 90.1 FM, 1 pm.

THE LIVE ROOM--Before heading off to Pioneer Square or wherever else you may go to shell out your hard-earned cash for entertainment, tune into The Live Room for a free performance by English cutie Dodi. KCMU 90.3 FM, 8 pm.

SUNDAY 10/22

WHAT'S THE WORD--Since the advent of film, the chemistry and magnetism of onscreen couples have been a central part of motion pictures. This week features favorite film pairs from the '30s through the '60s. KUOW 94.9 FM, 2:30 pm.

HORNPIPE--Tune in to explore the music of the Celtic lands. This week, host Barbara features Irish harpist Grainne Hambly's debut CD, Sean O'Riada, and the music of Munster and Scandinavia. KBCS 91.3 FM, 4 pm.

GRATEFUL DEAD HOUR--Hosts Kris and Moss present part three (!) of the Aug 6, 1974 concert at Roosevelt Stadium, along with the usual assortment of tie-dyed aural paraphernalia. KBCS 91.3 FM, 8 pm.

TUESDAY 10/24

NPR PLAYHOUSE--Sherlock Holmes Short Stories: "The Man with the Twisted Lip." Dr. Watson is enlisted to find the husband of his wife's friend in an opium den, only to find the great Sherlock Holmes in disguise there as he tracks the prosperous Neville St. Claire, who has disappeared under curious circumstances. Tune in tomorrow at 10 pm for the tidy conclusion. KUOW 94.9 FM, 9:30 pm.

WEDNESDAY 10/25

BEYOND 2000--Hunting Season by Frank Robinson tells the tale of a falsely convicted criminal who is sent back in time to 1950, where the aristocrats who framed him are waiting to hunt him for sport. Starring John O'Hurley. KUOW 94.9 FM, 10 pm.

Regional Music

THE ALARM 2000: Thurs Oct 19,

Berbati's Pan, Portland

PINBACK: Thurs Oct 19, Medicine Hat, Portland

DIRTY THREE, SHANNON WRIGHT:

Sat Oct 21, Crystal Ballroom, Portland

UNIFIED THEORY, VAST: Sat Oct 21,

Roseland Theater, Portland

GOOD RIDDANCE, NERVE AGENTS, DOWNWAY: Sat Oct 21, Pine St Theater, Portland

SANTANA, EVERLAST: Tues Oct 24,

Rose Garden Arena, Portland

BIF NAKED: Tues Oct 24,

Vertigo, Victoria, BC

KOTTONMOUTH KINGS, CORPORATE AVENGER, LINKIN PARK, REHAB: Wed Oct 25,

Roseland Theater, Portland

AFRIKA BAMBAATA: Wed Oct 25, Ohm, Portland

For more info, visit www.portlandmercury.com.