Programs & Hosts

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: January 26, 2022

Guitar Quinet, Op. 143: 1. Allegro, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

Suggested by Berto in Portland, Oregon

This magnificent work was on the first Segovia CD that my Mom bought me as a teenager. I used to fall asleep to this CD every night. I remember wondering how someone could write such amazing melodies and if I’d ever be able to play a major work like this one day. Fast forward 20+ years when I was contacted by the artistic director of the Chintimini Chamber festival to perform this quintet... and my youth came flooding back to me. I put in over 500 hours of practice leading up to the performance and it was -needless to say- an amazing experience to play such a brilliant work with a string quartet. It was a moment I will never forget! And... my daughter was 5-years-old at the time I was putting all this work in and I remember fondly her singing these melodies.

Castelnuovo-Tedesco wrote more music for the guitar than any composer in the 20th century and this work was written for Segovia. The world needs more Castelnuovo-Tedesco!!!

By the way, I just recently posted a video of the 2nd movement on my YouTube channel and have gotten a great response. According to the composers granddaughter Diane (my Facebook friend) it is a universal favorite! I based much of my performance on Segovia’s version but added my own Flamenco flair to certain sections. Here’s the video in case you’d like to see it. It is my life goal to record this and his concerto Op.99 for a complete Castelnuovo-Tedesco album. https://youtu.be/V9iQcb2tryw

Air date: January 25, 2022

Thais: Meditation, Jules Massenet (arr. Angel Romero)

Suggested by Linda in Vancouver, Washington

Some years ago I attended a classical guitar concert in Portland featuring Pepe Romero. What a beautiful concert it was, and what I remember most about it was an encore he played. Sitting alone on stage with his guitar, he spun this Meditation as though it was a filament of gold streaming down from heaven. It was exquisite. The beauty of it brought tears to my eyes and when I looked around there didn't seem to be a dry eye in the house. I've heard many versions of this piece but Pepe Romero's will always be my favorite.

Air date: January 24, 2022

Piano Concerto No. 20: II. Romance, W. A. Mozart

Suggested by Jorge in Portland, Oregon

I want to share a story about when classical music made an impact on my life. I was 12 years old (Wheew! That is over 40 years ago!) and my Mom and Dad took me to the Symphony in Quito, Ecuador. They had taken me a few times before, but this time was special. Mozart Piano Concerto #20 was one the pieces that night... it is the piano concerto that made me fall in love with classical music. Even to this day Mozart Piano concertos are special to me.

Now, I am cello enthusiast and student. I love cello, but it was Mozart's Piano Concerto #20 that made that personal mark in my life.

Air date: January 21, 2022

Symphony No. 29 in A: 1. Allegro Moderato, W.A. Mozart

Suggested by Gordon in Portland, Oregon

In the spring of 1962 at Radcliffe College, I courted a young woman named Margaret by leaving a recording of this symphony in her bicycle basket just a few days after we first met. It worked, That was sixty years ago, and today is Margaret's 79th birthday. She and I have been long-time donors to All Classical Portland.

Air date: January 20, 2022

Donna Diana Overture, Emil von Reznicek

Suggested by Karla in Portland, Oregon

When I was in law school in Boston in the early 70’s, I listened to the classical station there as background while I studied. This piece always was played at 5 pm to begin a program called Drive Time. I have fond memories of stopping to actually listen while I sat back in a maroon tweed easy chair and hummed along. Over the years I tried to find the name of this piece, but it seems to be rarely played. BUT! My search of 48+ years is over, because All Classical played it a few weeks ago, and I finally learned what it is. Many, many thanks, and please play it again!

Air date: January 19, 2022

Syrinx for Solo Flute, Claude Debussy

Suggested by Ed in Beaverton, Oregon

When I was studying flute, my teacher wanted me to play the first movement of Paul Hindemith's Flute Sonata for my recital. I started learning the piece but it was way over my head. I heard "Syrinx" on the radio and I fell in love with the piece... so I convinced him to let me play that instead.

Air date: January 18, 2022

Goldberg Variations (1981 rec.): Aria & Variations 1-7, J.S. Bach

Suggested by Pax in Astoria, Oregon

Several years ago, shortly after my dad passed away, one of the All Classical hosts played an early recording of of Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations back to back with a recording made shortly before Gould died. I was transfixed by the lifecycle of the performance, and moved by hearing him hum along while giving music to ease his final sleep.

Air date: January 17, 2022

Quintet “La Musica Notturna Delle Strade de Madrid”, Luigi Boccherini

Suggested by Carmen and Larina in Portland, Oregon

Our family heard this song in the film "Master and Commander" as a cello and violin piece, and fell in love with it. We play a duet arrangement on guitar and mandolin, and it always makes us think of the sea. It's a wonderful and moving piece!

Air date: January 14, 2022

Serenade for Strings: First movement, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Suggested by Karen in Dundee, Oregon

When I was a youngster my mother and I would listen to KOIN concert hall on the radio, many evenings after dinner. They played a theme song at the beginning and ending of the program but I never remember hearing the title, although I enjoyed the sweeping strings.

Later as a young adult, I remember sitting in the audience of the Oregon Symphony under the direction of James DePriest, where Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings was listed on the program. I figured it would be nice but assumed I wasn't familiar with it... but when the orchestra started played the opening measures, my breath was taken away. A piece I had grown up with and loved as a child now had a name! It was like someone I thought was lost and gone forever had reappeared. Tears welled up as I enjoyed this piece from my childhood, but now 'live' in the concert hall.

Air date: January 13, 2022

Symphony for Orchestra and Organ: 2. Scherzo, Aaron Copland

Suggested by Steven in Wilsonville, Oregon

While I was a graduate student at West Virginia University, I played tympani and the university orchestra. Aaron Copland was our composer in residence for a week in the fall of 1973, and I was privileged to play his seldom-heard Organ Symphony with Aaron Copland himself conducting.

The second movement of that Symphony has a particularly wicked timpani part which I spent hours practicing. During a break in rehearsal, Mr. Copland came back to tell me how impressed he was with my playing, stating that he didn't get the part played that well in Boston or New York. I expect he was being overly complimentary to a young college timpanist, but at the time it was heady stuff for me. We hit it off and I became his driver for the week. As a composition major, I have the priceless memory of sitting in a booth having pizza and beer with Aaron Copland talking about music composition and his history as a young musician.

Air date: January 12, 2022

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Suggested by Anonymous in Portland, Oregon

This is one of my favorite pieces. It helps calm me and reduces my stress levels.

Air date: January 11, 2022

Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings: 2. Pastoral, Benjamin Britten

Suggested by Kurt in McMinnville, Oregon

I have been singing since I was in grade school, and also played trombone and baritone until I discovered the horn when I was 15. I immediately fell in love with the range of sonorities the horn afforded and I started studying privately. My wonderful horn teacher always carved out time during lessons for us to listen to different pieces of music, and when he played the Serenade for me I was in awe! The wonderful interplay between my two passions of singing and horn playing was electrifying! Hearing this piece always takes me back to the first time I heard it, and never ceases to bring me joy.

Air date: January 10, 2022

Sleepers, Awake, J.S. Bach

Suggested by Nate in Portland, Oregon

When I was much younger I read a science fiction novel of the same name. The plot involved a child on a long voyage through the stars who wakes up from hibernation some sixty years before his family. He practices the piano to pass the time and mentions this piece. I sought it out, listened to it, and the haunting melody has stuck with me ever since. (The novel is "Sleepers, Wake" by Paul Samuel Jacobs.)

Air date: January 7, 2022

The Village (2004): Noah’s Visit, The Gravel Road, The Vote, James Newton Howard

Suggested by Peter in Portland, Oregon

I commute to work with All Classical, and the station always comes on as soon as I turn my ignition! I'm very fond of films, and music! This music just has that oomph that tugs on your heartstrings. I will leave you with my favorite quote from the film (The Village), "The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe."

Air date: January 6, 2022

L’Enfance du Christ: The Shepherds’ Farewell, Hector Berlioz

Suggested by Jasper in Atlanta, Georgia

It is a beautiful and moving classical piece for the season. I only discovered it recently and immediately fell in love with it.

Air date: January 5, 2022

Psalm and Fugue, Alan Hovhaness

Suggested by Neil in Forest Grove, Oregon

As a High School Senior, I was privileged to play violin in the 1966 All State Orchestra, conducted by Vilem Sokol. We played three excellent pieces; but one that stood out for me was Psalm and Fugue for String Orchestra by Alan Hohvaness. (Opus 40a.) This piece was my introduction to the singularly harmonious music of Alan Hovhaness.

I suggest this music as a Five O’Clock Favorite, because I think that your radio audience would enjoy hearing it... and for myself, I’ve not heard this music since that time, and listening to it would carry me back to that rewarding and memorable event in my life

Air date: January 4, 2022

Tis the Last Rose of Summer, Traditional

Suggested by Aileen in Oregon

I recently discovered this album ("Mark Twain's America") by pianist Jacqueline Schwab. It is absolutely wonderful, and I'd love to hear a selection!

Air date: January 3, 2022

Symphony No. 4: IV. The Heavenly Life, Gustav Mahler

Suggested by M. L. in Sherwood, Oregon

So-o-o many ears ago, when I was a university-aged and devoted solely to blues, reggae, jazz, and hard rock, a co-worker "introduced" me to classic music. (Actually, he was the senior architect in the office where I worked as an intern; we were obliged to listen to his music!)

At first, I tolerated his “patrician” preference for classical but gradually a few pieces caught my ear and I began to ask about them. He was happy to enlighten me. Before I realized it, I was on my way to being an intern classical music devotee as well! I began to unashamedly pursue classical music, with as much dedication as I did my other favorite musical genres!

A couple years later, during the Christmas season, I was looking through the classical section in a record store for a gift for that senior architect who was, by then, a fast friend. Mahler's 4th Symphony was on the store’s music system. At the time I was largely unfamiliar with Mahler and the final movement blew me away! Ever since, I’ve always associated the final movement of Mahler’s 4th Symphony with Christmastime! (The Symphony's orchestration also calls for sleigh bells!)

Air date: December 30, 2021

Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances, Alexander Borodin

Suggested by Gina in West Linn, Oregon

I just find the piece so beautiful! I never knew what it was called until I heard it one day on All Classical, and the information on my radio showed "Borodin, Alexander..." I was then able to look it up on YouTube and listen to it on repeat multiple times. I'm still not tired of it!

Air date: December 29, 2021

Palladio: 1. Allegretto, Karl Jenkins

Suggested by Susan in Beavercreek, Oregon

In the olden days one of the things we used to hear regularly in the Christmas season was the de Beers diamonds theme, the Ist Movement from the Jenkins Palladio. Jenkins based this wonderful, structural piece on the work of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Oh, arcades of arches, soaring columns, loggias in the sunlight! Even though what we now know about the diamonds market puts a bit of impossible tarnish on the de Beers slogan, Diamond Music still is forever. :)

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