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: April 3, 2023

The Green Leaves of Summer (from The Alamo), Dmitri Tiomkin

Suggested by Susan in Elliot Lake, Ontario

In 1992 the Burnaby, BC School District, where I was teaching at the time, decided to sponsor a teachers' band. They offered us free lessons and instrumental rental if we chose to join. I had played violin in high school, and taken some more lessons as an adult, but I had never played a wind instrument. I thought it would be a challenge, and so I signed up. My choice of an instrument was the oboe, based primarily on my love for the haunting music and melancholy chords of The Green Leaves of Summer, from the 1960s movie, The Alamo. My goal was to learn that piece, and be able to play it to my own satisfaction. And I did just that. Now, whenever I hear the evocative tones of an oboe I am taken back to that experience, and my determination to do justice to a beautiful piece of music, composed by a truly wonderful composer, Dimitri Tiomkin.

Air date: March 31, 2023

Doctor Strange: Strange Days Ahead, Michael Giacchino

Suggested by Steven in Corvallis, Oregon

I feel like this is one of the more memorable and unique heroic themes from the last few years of movies. I love the use of sitar in addition to the grand orchestration. This is something I listen to when I need to get pumped up for work.

Air date: March 30, 2023

Miserere, Gregorio Allegri

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

By far the most beautiful piece of music to relax to.

Air date: March 29, 2023

MLK, U2 (arr. Bob Chilcott)

Suggested by Robert in Darien, Connecticut

I am a primary care physician and practice in the NYC metropolitan area. I listen to All Classical Portland because my daughter lives in Portland and because it’s an awesome station. March through June, 2020 was a harrowing time for me, dealing with so many Covid patients. Back then we knew so little about the virus. It was a scary and exhausting situation. My hospital treated thousands of Covid patients in that initial surge. My chief solace then was to listen to choral music. Late at night, with my wife sleeping beside me, I would listen through headphones to a playlist of songs, culminating in this pensive elegy to Martin Luther King. It is a gem, short but sweet, and beautifully rendered by The King’s Singers. Three years later I am still grateful that I had the gift of music to provide a tranquil refuge during those troubling times.

Air date: March 28, 2023

Semele: Myself I Shall Adore, Handel, George Frideric

Suggested by Lyle in Lake Oswego, Oregon

As a life-long (84-year-old) opera fan – having gotten “hooked” on opera listening as a young child to the Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinée broadcasts on KBPS and continuing over the decades after it became “All Classical Portland” – I have heard and/or seen hundreds of opera performances. Among the thousands of arias in these broadcasts, telecasts, recordings, and performances, one that stands out particularly is the extremely beautiful and absolutely hilarious “Myself I Shall Adore (if I persist in gazing)” from Handel’s “Semele.” That memory is of the talented and charming Ruth Ann Swenson performing the title role in a San Francisco Opera production in 2000. A big THANK YOU to All Classical for providing these many years of pleasurable listening to the Met performances!

Air date: March 27, 2023

Menuet Antique, Maurice Ravel

Suggested by Bob in Milwaukie, Oregon

The seeds of a love for classical music were sown in me by the BBC in the late fifties and early sixties while I was playing hooky from school to avoid a mathematics test. Feigning some fictional illness I lay on the sofa and pretended to watch on our black and white television the Schools program on BBC-TV. The programming was really patchy and the BBC played classical music in the intervals between presentations. They played a lot of Ravel, Debussy, Prokofiev, and early twentieth century composers. Ravel’s Menuet Antique is the one piece that can transport me as if in a time machine to 1961 and my Mother’s couch.

Air date: March 23, 2023

Loch Lomond, Traditional Scottish

Suggested by Susan in Lake Oswego, Oregon

When I was a student at Oregon State many years ago, I took a music class from a visiting Scottish professor, John Geddes. Though there are many theories about the maning of the song Loch Lomond he told us his interpretation, which centered on two imprisoned soldiers, one condemned and one to be set free. The condemned man sings to his friend about returning to Loch Lomond, saying that the souls of the dead travel quicker along ‘the low road’ -the spirit road- than do living people walking along ‘the high road’ -or the mortal road- hence he will get to Scotland first.

Professor Geddes told us this years before the internet was widespread and before this type of information was available online. I was blown away by the meaning. And I still to this day remember his funny personality with great affection.

I have heard Chanticleer's version of Loch Lomond on All Classical Portland and think it is wonderful.

Air date: March 22, 2023

Lux Aeterna (vocal arrangement of “Nimrod” from the Enigma Variations), Edward Elgar

Suggested by Jeff in Portland, Oregon

Sir Edward Elgar's "Nimrod" speaks to a deeper longing, a search for some way to make sense of a world that's changing so quickly right before us. As we grow older each day, and advance toward a place and space already known and yet so unknown, we look more deeply into the basics: why we live, who we are, and how we can only hope to be of some small benefit to the humans yet to come. On that road, I take great solace in the remarkably young members of Voces8 who, in their à cappella rendition of Sir Edward's magnificent composition, speak -- and sing -- to the hopes and hardships of humankind. And this, quite frankly, makes me cry.

Air date: March 21, 2023

Peer Gynt: Solveig’s Song, Edvard Grieg

Suggested by Dieter in Silvignano, Umbria, Italy

I'm a grateful supporter of All Classical Portland. This beautiful piece of music is in memory of Myrna Hasle.

Air date: March 20, 2023

Capricho Arabe, Francisco Tarrega

Suggested by Jorge in Portland, Oregon

It is the month of my mom's birthday, and I'd love to dedicate this to her.

Air date: March 15, 2023

Empire of the Sun: Suo Gan, Traditional Welsh

Suggested by Anonymous in Portland, Oregon

There is truly nothing in the world so angelic and pleasing to the soul as the pure voices of children. From someone so young comes a sound so undeniably beautiful and equally powerful. This piece (a Welsh lullaby) is especially moving, as is the film it is used in, and I hope that it will bring peace and wonder to those who listen.

Air date: March 14, 2023

Cinema Paradiso: Love Theme, Ennio Morricone

Suggested by Don in Portland, Oregon

I think of Ennio Morricone as the "John Williams" of Italy, with many film scores, including even some American westerns. His soundtrack for Cinema Paradiso is a fine romantic piece that highlights the stature of the film itself which is about honoring those role models who have helped to make us who we are today. Plus it's a great relaxing tune after a day's work!

Air date: March 13, 2023

Notturno (from Six Pieces for Piano), Ottorino Respighi

Suggested by Mary in Menasha, Wisconsin

This piece is a new favorite for me. I recently relocated from Portland back to Wisconsin where I grew up, having missed my family and the seasons. I love especially the snow. I was listening to some online music the day of my first Wisconsin snowfall and this piece started just as the first gentle snowflakes began to fall. The music and imagery fit perfectly and I will never forget that day. Now I hear the stories of friends and co-workers experiencing the great snow of 2023 there in Portland and thought you might appreciate this beautiful piece of music portraying both the gentleness and the storminess that winter can bring. So glad I can continue to enjoy All Classical Portland from my new home here.

Air date: March 10, 2023

Pines of Rome: The Pines of the Appian Way, Ottorino Respighi

Suggested by Kurt in Albany, Oregon

This is one of my favorite classical pieces. I first heard this performed at the Schnitz when James DePriest was the conductor about 22 years ago. My wife and I had season tickets and we went frequently as she was pregnant with our first child: the last of our pre-child date nights. The orchestra even played the song again as an encore. I love how the piece builds to a majestic crescendo at the end. And I love the trumpet part in the piece. It holds a special place in my heart as I was a trumpet player in grades 4-8. However, it is one of the few pieces where the triangle player gets to go for the gusto! Go triangle!!!

Air date: March 9, 2023

Goyescas: Coloquio en la reja (Conversation at the Window), Enrique Granados

Suggested by Uta in Oregon

This gives me goosebumps, it is so full of emotions and energy. Alicia de Larrocha plays it perfectly to my taste! Her playing is powerful and sensitive at the same time.

Air date: March 8, 2023

Polonaise in A-flat, Op. 53, Frederic Chopin

Suggested by Whit in Beaverton, Oregon

As the child of a Piano Performance graduate and World Music professor, I heard this piece performed by my father many times. It seems to be his favorite; so of course it became mine as well. We live on opposite sides of the world now (Kuwait-Oregon), and Seong-Jin Cho's performance of this magnificent piece is the closest I can get to home.

Air date: March 7, 2023

Spirit Chief Names the Animal People, Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate

Suggested by Christine in Lexington, Kentucky

This is fun piece and a great legend in the Native American tradition.

Air date: March 6, 2023

La Lisonjera (The Flatterer), Cecile Chaminade

Suggested by Scott in Portland, Oregon

As I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, after my three older brothers and I had been put to bed, my father would often sit down at our piano in the living room and play his favorite pieces lulling us to sleep. This was my favorite. I just got the sheet music for it yesterday and look forward to learning this piece if I am able. The bio in the music notes that poet Ambroise Thomas, after a performance of one of her works, said “this is not a woman who composes, but a composer who is a woman.” Pretty apt for Women's History Month, right?

Air date: March 3, 2023

In Caelum Fero (To the Wild Heavens), Karl Jenkins

Suggested by Becca in Portland, Oregon

Every time I hear this, it shocks me and sends thrills of emotion through my body. I was first introduced to Karl Jenkins' Adiemus project when I was in the 5th grade by a chorus teacher, and I remember being entranced by the idea that the composer had created the language featured in his songs to be as beautiful to listen to as possible.

Air date: March 2, 2023

Ubi Caritas, Paul Mealor

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

I heard this recently on Andrea Murray's late night show and I thought it also might be great to drive home to.

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