Five O’Clock Favorite

Hosted by
Christa Wessel

Five O’Clock Favorite

Every weekday at 5:00 PM PT

Every weekday at 5:00 PM PT, All Classical Radio and host Christa Wessel invite listeners to be part of the programming. During the Five O’Clock Favorite, you’ll hear a listener-suggested piece of music along with a personal story about their choice. With pieces that are fun and familiar, music for remembrance and reflection, and everything in between, the Five O’Clock Favorite is a perfect way to ease your commute, end your workday, or start off your evening soundtrack on All Classical Radio. 

graphic for five o clock fav

Your Host
Christa Wessel

Weekdays at 5:00, you’ll find me in my happy place on the radio: sharing your Five O’Clock Favorite. This special program is an opportunity for me to celebrate listeners’ memories and favorite pieces of classical music. Our stories connect us to each other, and this daily segment allows us to hear what’s in the hearts of our friends and neighbors. I hope you’ll submit your suggestion for a future Five O’Clock Favorite!

Christa Wessel
woman with glasses sitting on a blue couch, leaning slightly forward — Photo by Christine Dong

Submit your favorite piece:
Suggestions are easiest to honor if they’re 20 minutes or less.

Recent Favorites

Air date: October 9, 2026

Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”: 1. Adagio-Allegro molto, Antonin Dvorak

Suggested by Laura in Corvallis, Oregon

I first heard this piece performed by the Seattle Symphony my last year of high school when I was preparing to attend college thousands of miles away from home. I've returned to this piece often since then, in hard times and in moments of joy. I find something new to love about it each time I listen. I hope it provides some comfort and hope for others listening. It always boosts my mood!

Air date: October 8, 2026

Serenade for Strings in C, Opus 48: 1. Andante non troppo, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Suggested by Rebecca in Portland, Oregon

This is the last concert I went to with my mom before she passed away - it was performed winter of 2014 by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. It remains one of my top three classical concerts of all time. The musicians stood for the whole piece amidst the backdrop of a beautiful suburban church. It was the dead of winter in Minnesota - marked by one of the coldest and snowiest winters on records and my last one at home before I moved to Oregon. My mom suffered from lifelong severe depression which eventually took her life, and I think of this concert often and the pure, raw joy I saw spread across my mom's face. That memory holds the version of my mom I want to remember. She was a classically trained musician, and music always held an important part of her life, and mine. We shared joy amidst unspeakable heart break by going to concerts together in my 20s. I played the first 90 seconds of it when I got married, after my mom passed, to bring her memory to the moment. Music has so much power, so much beauty, to bind memories in unequivocal joy. This piece is that for me.

Air date: October 7, 2026

Goodbye Again: Main Theme (1961), Georges Auric

Suggested by Al in Portland, Oregon

I recently watched the movie "Goodbye Again" starring Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Perkins because, wow, what a pairing that is! I thought the theme music was so fun! It's a lovely, sweeping, melodramatic adaptation of the melody in the 3rd movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 3. Considering that the movie is based on a book called "Do You Like Brahms?" I thought this was rather clever. (And yes, I do like Brahms! And I quite enjoyed the movie as well.)

Air date: October 6, 2026

The Gadfly: Romance, Dmitri Shostakovich

Suggested by David in Peekskill, New York

Many may think "Shostakovich - eww, heavy, dark, angsty" - not so in this piece which has a sweet yearning that shows his versatility as a composer. He wrote a fair amount of lighter music and some catchy tunes! (Including one from the 1932 Soviet movie Counterplan, which was later used as the basis for the wartime tune "United Nations on the March.") BTW, Shostakovich and I also share a birthday!

Air date: October 5, 2026

El Colibri (The Hummingbird), Julio Sagreras

Suggested by Tim in Portland, Oregon

I met my guitarist friend Jeff in Germany in the early 1980s. I loved to hear him play at concerts and small parties and eventually I became very close friends with him. When Jeff saw me--an actor and mime-- flapping and fluttering my arms around and taking stoic stances every time he played a piece by Julio Sagreras called "El Colibri" (Spanish for "The Hummingbird"). We all had such a good laugh that he invited me to participate in one of his concerts, doing my mime act while he played "El Colibri" as his last number.

I really got into developing my costume and make-up. At the concert, when my moment came to do my posed hummingbird flutters and flaps, I leapt to a designated spot on the stage to take my stance -- which in itself startled the German audience. But when the stage collapsed and crashed under me, I can still picture the shocked, horrified expression on those intense Bavarian faces. But "the show must go on", so Jeff continued playing his entire 3-minute plus arrangement with me faithfully flapping and leaping away. In the end we got quite an appreciative applause--a bit confused I imagine but nonetheless, no longer horrified.

So, to the love and memory of my great friend of yesteryears, Jeffrey Ashton (as well as to the most awkward performance of my dubious career), could you play your best recording of "El Colibri", by Julio Sagreras?

Air date: October 1, 2026

William Tell Overture, Gioacchino Rossini

Suggested by Eric in Beaverton, Oregon

The William Tell Overture makes me think of an old western with horses running at a very fast pace!

Air date: September 30, 2026

“Gayne’s Adagio” from Gayne Ballet & “Ase’s Death” from Peer Gynt, Aram Khatchaturian & Edvard Grieg

Suggested by Frederick in Portland, Oregon

Music has always been paramount in my life. Through good times and bad times it has always been a key ingredient in dealing with all aspects of my life. These two pieces, although very sad are very powerful and beautiful and are essential in dealing with pain and hardship by giving you a sense of hope and encouragement! I strongly recommend them whenever you’re feeling “down in the dumps”. They are a beautiful tonic for what ails you!!!

Air date: September 29, 2026

Elizabethan Serenade, Ronald Binge

Suggested by Annalisa in Depoe Bay, Oregon

I was 8 years old when I first heard a piece of music that instantly mesmerized me …a piece of music I never forgot and whose name I sought in vain to find for the next 50 years….
My parents and I were living in the Republic of Panama when I first heard this piece of music. My dad worked as an elementary school teacher through the Dept of Defense and we were living in what was then called the Canal Zone.
We had three TV channels, one was American and the other two were Panamanian. My dad was a lover of education (as well as opera and classical music), he disliked TV intensely, so rare were the times when I was allowed to watch it. Evenings after dinner were spent reading which I loved, but when we were allowed to watch TV, it was quite a treat.
Anyway, one evening I turned on the TV as the Muppet Show was due to begin and I was very excited. It was a bit early so I watched disinterestedly as a few commercials flitted across the screen until one of them caught eye yes, but what it really caught was my ear: in this commercial there was a beautiful, serene lake, behind it a setting sun. On the lake drifted a small rowboat. In the boat sat a handsome man pushing the boat along with a single oar. A beautiful woman stood on the bow of the boat looking out towards the sunset. A gentle breeze blew through her long hair and her silken, flowing dress. And quietly in the background a male narrator crooned in Spanish about the product the commercial was promoting: of all things, a brand of cigarettes!
But it wasn’t the handsome couple, or the lake, nor the cigarette brand that stopped me in my tracks. It was the music playing in the background…
I was mesmerized by this piece of music and couldn’t stop thinking about it. Whenever we were allowed to watch TV (which as I said was very rarely), I would rush into the room, sit in front of it and wait, hoping to catch that commercial again. And when it did come on, I listened to the music with great concentration, humming along with it trying to burn it into my brain so that I would never forget it. I had no way of knowing if I would ever find out the name of it.
That was back in the late ‘60s. To my sorrow, that commercial, like most of them, eventually disappeared off the air and I never saw it again. But I had the music in my head and would hum it to myself every once in a while over the years, vowing never to forget it.
As the years passed, I did try to find out its name. I would hum it to musically inclined friends, teachers, musical directors…I would wander aimlessly through music stores hoping to hear it on the speakers overhead. But, alas, no-one seemed to know it. I never was able to identify that sweet piece of music I had chanced upon so long ago.
And then something amazing happened. One day, several months ago I was in my kitchen intently chopping vegetables and stirring them into a pot to make a vat of soup. To entertain myself I had All Classical Radio playing in the background (I always have All Classical playing, my kitty Vanessa insists on it). I was deeply focused on the chopping and stirring when suddenly on the radio…there it was. I froze, soup ladle clattering to the floor.
I was 63 at that time, I was 8 when I first heard that piece of music. For over 50 years I had been seeking its identity in vain, and suddenly here it was playing in my very living room. I raced over to the radio and turned the volume up hardly daring to believe what I was hearing.
And then it came, what I had been seeking for more than 50 years: its name…Elizabethan Serenade… it was like an exhale of breath I had been craving for so long…
And despite my joy and relief, I must confess my first thought was, ‘Well, of course I would finally hear it and learn its name on All Classical Radio!”

Air date: September 28, 2026

Gymnopedie No. 1, Erik Satie

Suggested by Austin in Portland, Oregon

This is my favorite "end of the world" song!

Air date: September 25, 2026

Bar a Bar, Traditional English

Suggested by Lisa in Bolton, Massachusetts

I am an avid English Country dancer, a style of social dance that draws on a rich tradition of classical and folk melodies. The music is played by chamber-like ensembles who improvise on a theme, all the while maintaining danceability and musicality. This particular dance and tune, Bar a Bar, was originally written in 1710 and reconstructed in 1986. I particularly enjoy Alchemy's lovely interpretation, as it shows a strong listening connection among the musicians.

Air date: September 24, 2026

Canon (God Grant We Grace), Thomas Tallis

Suggested by James in Portland, Oregon

The melody of Tallis' Canon has been used for a variety of works, including church hymns and even a nursery version, asking God's blessing for the safety of the child.
When my son was a year old, he was wracked by a series of convulsions, and one of these seizures was severe enough to land him in the hospital ICU on an IV drip of medicine to break it. After the seizure broke, I sat by his crib in his hospital room as he fell into a deep sleep. Suddenly, loud music started blaring into the room. I was incensed! How could the hospital be so insensitive as to make so much unwanted noise and risk waking my son, who desperately needed this sleep? I scanned the room looking for the speakers, but saw none. It was then I realized the music was not in the room; it was in my head. It was Tallis' Canon, the nursery version.
My son grew up to be a scholar, athlete, musician and school teacher, and now has small children of his own.
There never was another seizure

Air date: September 9, 2026

Variations on a Korean Folk Song, John Barnes Chance

Suggested by Eric in Beaverton, Oregon

Many years ago I played the tuba in the Bay Area Wind Symphony and even got to tour Japan with them. Our encore piece was "Variations on a Korean Folk Song" by John Barnes Chance. I would love it if you can play that as a 5:00 Favorite for us all to enjoy.

Air date: September 8, 2026

Facile-Batiste (on Mozart’s K. 545 Sonata in C), Mozart / Batiste

Suggested by Lee in Portland, Oregon

I cannot begin to express how much I enjoyed Kate Remington's online interview with Jon Batiste about his new album, "Black Mozart." Thank you thank you for posting that on your blog! I was particularly taken with Jon's description of his adaptations as "simply adding more colors to the palette" of Mozart's music. His ability to think outside of "genres," and just think in terms of the universal language of music is truly beautiful. I especially liked that he said that Mozart's music wasn't called "classical" back then... it was just "music."

Air date: September 7, 2026

Reflections in the Water, Claude Debussy

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

It reminds me of fall when the leaves come gently flowing down to the ground. It's a good way to forget about work especially if it was a bad day because the next day's going to be better.

Air date: September 3, 2026

Minuet in G, Opus 14, No. 1, Ignace Jan Paderewski

Suggested by Donald in Fairview, Oregon

This piece was in one of my mother's books of favorite classical music. I couldn't ever play the piece myself, but I always found it very beautiful, and would love to hear it played for the 5:00 Favorite.

Air date: September 2, 2026

The Face of Another: Waltz, Toru Takemitsu

Suggested by Rachel in Silverton, Oregon

This became a favorite after hearing it on All Classical years ago while running a Christmas tree farm in Silverton!

Air date: September 1, 2026

Five Orchestral Meditations: No. 5, The Lord bless you and keep you, John Rutter

Suggested by Ursula in Portland, Oregon

It has been now 3 months since I sent my beloved Savannah Kitty over that Rainbow Bridge. It was late at night as I watched her slipping away. Then I became aware of the music playing in the background. I recognized it as the 5 Meditations of John Rutter. The last meditation, the 5th, was playing. With tears I realized it was set to the Priestly Prayer: The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. This memory is now forever etched in music within my heart.

Air date: August 31, 2026

Turandot: Nessun Dorma! (Let no one Sleep), Giacomo Puccini

Suggested by Ken in Camas, Washington

I have especially appreciated those Five O'Clock Favorites that have been in memory of a loved one.
Our son Elliot grew up loving music; it was always a big part of his life. He appreciated those piano lessons and the family outings to the Portland Opera as a youngster. As a teen, he gravitated more towards the electric guitar and drums and reveled in those genres popular with his age group. He enjoyed jamming with friends and was in several garage bands. For a season, he even contemplated seeing if he could make a living in music.
He came of age in the days of MySpace, and that platform had a distinctive feature: you could configure a script of music to play whenever someone visited your profile page. I smiled knowingly at the comments left by some of his friends when they visited—“Wow! That was surprising. And beautiful!” was a typical comment. It was Pavarotti singing Puccini’s Nessun Dorma. Elliot seemed to appreciate great music no matter what the genre. In this masterful aria, Puccini gives utterance to that emotion struggling dumbly within us for expression, that of irrepressible love for another.
Elliot ultimately met the love of his life, Tamara, and they married in 2022. Theirs seemed to be a match made in heaven. They were true soul mates.
But it was not to last. In 2024, Elliot’s life came to a sudden and tragic end at the age of 38. He left behind not only his grieving wife and large family, including eight siblings, but also countless friends, coworkers, and fellow music lovers.
Today, when I hear Nessun Dorma, it takes me back to an earlier time, when Elliot’s friends were struck by this magnificent expression of a young man’s love for a woman. It gives me a reason to smile.
And so, let us hear it again: Luciano Pavarotti singing Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, in memory of Elliot, and in tribute to his loving wife Tamara.

Air date: August 28, 2026

The Typewriter, Leroy Anderson

Suggested by Lance in Portland, Oregon

I would like to hear The Typewriter by Leroy Anderson because it's a very unique piece of music. Most millennials will not get the pleasure of learning how to type using a typewriter. I recall seeing The Typewriter performed live on Evening at Pops on PBS. Leroy Anderson conducted and Arthur Fiedler performed the "twitch" sound effect of the typewriter. I credit two people, Arthur Fiedler and my own father as the reason I like Classical Music so much.

Air date: August 27, 2026

Piano Concerto No. 2 in F: 1. Allegro, Dmitri Shostakovich

Suggested by Kelsey in Portland, Oregon

Disney's Fantasia 2000 sparked my love of classical music when I was a kid. I still love all of the pieces of music used in the film, but I have a particular soft spot for this one because it's not quite as famous as the others. The sweet animated segment from the movie, about a tin soldier and a ballerina figurine, plays frame-by-frame in my head every time I listen to the piece!

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