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: July 20, 2023

Arcanum: Main Theme, Ben Houge

Suggested by Kevin in Beaverton, Oregon

One night, after the video game Arcanum came out in 2001, I sat down for a pre-dinner hour of game time. Right when this theme music started coming through my headphones, my then toddler son, Simon, came around the corner in his onesie, wondering what Dad was up to. It soon became apparent he was asking to listen to the music. I fitted the headphones over his little head, and the most amazing thing happened: eyes closed, he began a slow, twirling impromptu dance to the music, complete with arm sweeps, waist bends and slow stepping motions. An extemporaneous toddler ballet to music he had never heard before. Whenever I hear this impressive short work, it remind me of my little Simon, who is, believe me, quite a bit larger today, but just as special to me now as then. Game companies rarely take chances with their music, but Arcanum is a blessed exception to the rule. I hope you and your listeners enjoy this piece as much as I do.

Air date: July 19, 2023

Horn Concerto No. 1, W. A. Mozart

Suggested by Karen in Portland, Oregon

My husband Glenn passed away on May 16, 2023 and today is his first birthday since his passing. We met at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA in 1963, both playing French Horn. Dennis Brain was a renowned French Horn player at the time, so I'd love to honor Glenn by hearing one of Dennis Brains' recordings. We got married in June of 1966 and have been together until his passing ever since.

Air date: August 18, 2023

Der Rosenkavalier Suite, Richard Strauss

Suggested by Matt in Lake Oswego, Oregon

Today would've been my dad's 101st birthday (died in 2012). An kid of Italian immigrants, he grew up in Sellwood, survived the war, finished college, got married, contributed to the baby boom, and went into business. Despite no musical training (and no apparent musical talent), he had a fondness for opera. When my sisters and I were little dad would go to early Mass on Sundays, then play golf with his friends, then come home for a nap on the living room couch. Quite often, he'd put "Der Rosenkavalier" on the phonograph. Whenever I hear any part of Der Rosenkavalier, I think of those Sundays. Happy birthday dad.

Air date: July 17, 2023

La Bayadere: Andante from Act II, Leon Minkus

Suggested by Buffy in Portland, Oregon

This music is so absolutely beautiful on its own, but recently became a treasured memory for me. The evening was crisp and sweet and lovely. I was stargazing after work while waiting for my ride home, admiring the holy moon and wondering what very bright planet was out next to her, while listening to this music on my phone.

A brilliant co-worker I admire so very deeply started his walk home, but paused when he heard the music and asked what I was looking at. I pointed out the planet I was trying to identify. He nodded in response and then for whatever magnificent reason chose to stand shoulder to shoulder with me, gazing up at the stars until the song faded, then said good night and continued his walk home. For a number of reasons it would be wrong of me to admit my feelings to him, so that 7 minutes of shared celestial space has become a most precious memory, and this music my most favorite to listen to. It encapsulates a perfect moment in time for me. I listen to it very often now, and recall that instant where we were just two hominids looking up at the shining night sky together.

Air date: July 13, 2023

Mass in D Major: Kyrie & Gloria, Antonin Dvorak

Suggested by Tim in Portland, Oregon

Everyone in my immediate family are musicians. I was raised as a Catholic and attended a few years as a seminarian student, so sacred classical music has always been a part of my life's experience. Despite my exposure and familiarity with the canon, somehow Dvorak's Mass in D seems so obscure; one does not hear it performed often. I might have not noticed it either until I had the privilege of performing it in a choral group a few years ago. It is so rich, lovely and powerful as you'll hear in these two pieces of his Mass in D.

Air date: July 12, 2023

The Swan of Tuonela, Jean Sibelius

Suggested by Hale in Salem, Oregon

My wife of almost 57 years, Romona Thornburgh, played oboe and English Horn. I had just begun dating her and attended a concert in which she played "The Swan of Tuonela" (which contains her all-time favorite English Horn solo), and the performance received tumultuous applause. It was the first time I had heard a solo English Horn and I was immediately captivated by its sound, color and, I must admit, the soloist who made such beautiful music. I think my marital future was sealed that night.

Romona passed away from Alzheimers in February. She and I have been long-time listeners to this radio station and I would like to honor her and her musicianship by hearing this piece on “5 o’clock Favorite” and dedicate it to her memory.

Air date: July 11, 2023

Symphony No. 1: Movement 4, Johannes Brahms

Suggested by Harvey in Portland, Oregon

When I was at Grant High School (I graduated in 1952) the then-Portland Symphony performed for a school assembly. They played the 4th movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 1. I think it was a perfect choice for high school kids, most of whom had never been to a symphony concert.

Air date: July 10, 2023

Abendlied (Evening Song), Johannes Brahms

Suggested by Carolyn in Portland, Oregon

I learned this in choir and it has always been my favorite!

Air date: July 6, 2023

Susanna’s Secret: Overture & Intermezzo, Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

Suggested by Jeff in Portland, Oregon

The Susanna here, of course, has a secret. It's 1906 and a time in which women are expected [as through much of human history] to "stay in their lane," if you will. Turns out that lane is narrow and difficult. And long before the makers of Virginia Slims told us "you've come a long way, baby" Susanna chose to smoke. In secret. Whew! We HAVE come a long way. Give that girl some breathing room, already!

Air date: July 5, 2023

The Four Seasons: Summer, Antonio Vivaldi

Suggested by Katharine in Portland, Oregon

To celebrate summer in the Pacific Northwest!

Air date: July 4, 2023

Blue Towers, Irving Fine

Suggested by John in Milwaukie, Oregon

This piece could be the score to my 1960's childhood vacations, with my siblings and I piled in the family car dutifully pointing out to our parents every cow or horse along the way. It just has that carefree, Leave It To Beaver sound. Hopefully this provides a happy soundtrack to this evenings commute in the Northwest.

Air date: July 3, 2023

The Marriage of Figaro: Harmoniemusik, W. A. Mozart

Suggested by Steve in Lake Oswego, Oregon

My 3 year wedding anniversary is July 3 and I would really appreciate it if you could play the instrumental medley from the Marriage of Figaro that includes Voi Che Sapete (our wedding entrance music),

Air date: June 29, 2023

Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act 3, Richard Wagner

Suggested by John in Portland, Oregon

When I was a music major at University of Oregon back in the mid-1970’s I took a composition class from Professor Harold Owen. He played this piece for us as an illustration of Wagner’s exquisite ability to create harmonic tension. Almost 50 years later I can still see the look of ecstasy on Professor Owen’s face as the harmonic tension grew and grew and finally resolved. This little slice of Wagner has been one of my favorites ever since.

Air date: June 28, 2023

Rondo a capriccio: “Rage Over A Lost Penny”, Op. 129, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Josh in Salem, Oregon

I adore this piece! Its more popular title, "Rage Over a Lost Penny," was written on top of the sheet music by one of Beethoven's friends as a joke. Little stories like that just bring these long-gone composers to life.

Air date: June 27, 2023

The Elements: Chaos & Dances, Jean Fery Rebel

Suggested by Michael in Salem, Oregon

Rebel's wonderful composition is rarely played in full; usually only the "dance" segments. Its opening 30 seconds are probably too disturbing for some ears, but the chaos movement is no more challenging, say, than the storm sequence in Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, or some of the music of Shostakovich's. Perhaps on your 5 O'clock Favorite you can shed some light on a truly masterful work.

Air date: June 26, 2023

Minuet in G, Ignace Jan Paderewski

Suggested by Don in Fairview, Oregon

Air date: June 22, 2023

Unforgiven: Claudia’s Theme, Clint Eastwood

Suggested by Jason in Hillsboro, Oregon

Like many of the men in my demographic, I love the Clint Eastwood movie, "Unforgiven." It is a violent western, and by no means a family movie, but I think it attempts to show that even people who do terrible things can have redeeming qualities or go on to lead decent lives. After watching the movie, you may conclude that Will Munny does not deserve to be forgiven for the terrible things he has done, but it is worth thinking about whether we can forgive those around us for their more human failures. "Claudia's Theme " is a melancholy guitar instrumental that is played during a beautiful end credits scene that shows the grave he dug for his wife under a tree, which I think is symbolic of his attempted redemption. A perfect end to a perfect movie. I hope others agree.

Air date: June 21, 2023

Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes, Aaron Copland

Suggested by Paul in Portland, Oregon

My parents married in the summer of 1942. Classical music was with them from the start of their relationship as long as they both lived. And when I say "from the start" here are a couple of examples:
1) their first date was the movie, Fantasia. I think that is still a very cool first date.
2) their honeymoon, summer of '42, was a trip to the Tanglewood Music Festival in Western Massachusetts. So, I scoured the archives of programs for that summer and saw there were many real possibilities of which concerts they might have attended. There was music by Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms and Mendelssohn that summer, but I decided on thinking like a young, happy, honeymooning couple and I've settled on The Suite from Rodeo by Aaron Copland because I know they liked him as a composer, and that selection is for me one that expresses the rush, vitality and passion of that young love and the sheer joy and fun that this love could be.

Air date: June 20, 20223

Susanna: Suite, G. F. Handel

Suggested by Jeff in Portland, Oregon

Any and every thing G.F. Handel composed is entirely listenable and wholly appropriate for Five O'clock. Anywhere.

Air date: June 19, 2023

Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”: IV. Urlicht (Primal Light), Gustav Mahler

Suggested by Torry in Portland, Oregon

It's short, beautiful, and has the most splendid trumpet chorale :) Great programming btw!

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