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, 2025

Cantus Arcticus: Concerto for Birds and Orchestra: 1. The Bog, Einojuhani Rautavaara

Suggested by Steve in Portland, Oregon

This work is for taped arctic bird songs together with the symphony orchestra. The bird sings were recorded in northern Finland. The more I listen to it, the more intrigued I am, and the more it becomes part of my musical thoughts. It opens with various instruments trying to emulate the bird songs. The music sometimes sounds romantic, sometimes impressionistic, sometimes rich, sometimes sparse. As I listen, I can imagine the landscapes of the far north, the Arctic, as the title suggests.

Air date: October 8, 2025

Piano Quintet in E flat: 1. Allegro brillante, Robert Schumann

Suggested by Charlyn in Tualatin, Oregon

Robert Schumann's Piano Quintet was the first chamber music piece I fell in love with. And as a violist, it has remained a definite favorite! When I was in junior high, my viola/violin teacher and her piano teacher husband held a summer music camp, at a boarding school on a farm in the foothills of the Sierras. The barn had been converted into a performance space. So I remember hearing the Schumann played there, by my friends Danny, Rob, Loal, Tim and Phil. Such special and warm memories!

Air date: October 7, 2025

Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo, Pietro Mascagni

Suggested by Morris in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

This gorgeous Intermezzo is sad but extremely beautiful as the orchestra foretells the tragedy that is to come in the second half if this short opera.

Air date: October 6, 2025

Symphony No. 3, Op. 78 “Organ”: Finale, Camille Saint-Saens

Suggested by Kelcey in Portland, Oregon

I first saw the movie called “Babe” when I was in my 40s. And it touched me so much to follow the sweet-natured pig through all the perils of piglet life. The piglet falls ill just before the annual sheep herding competition in which it is entered. The farmer tries to nurse him back to health and inspires hope and life in the pig by singing and dancing for him to this symphony. The movie is about unlikely understanding between species and trust, loyalty, and love. And I always feel uplifted and inspired when I hear it. I still watch the movie occasionally when I need cheering up. Do watch it yourself. You’d love it. It’s very funny, as well.

Air date: October 2, 2025

Gustaviansk Suite, Lars-Erik Larsson

Suggested by Julia in Yuma, Arizona

Several times now, I've heard this lovely, haunting piece played on All Classical and immediately found that it spoke to my deepest heart. I was unable to find a version on You Tube and this piece wasn't even mentioned on the composer's Wikipedia page. I wanted to know more and Ultimately, my research revealed to me that the Gustaviansk Suite was composed during the war years of 1943-44 and the term "Gustaviansk" indicates a style reminiscent of the Gustavian era of 18th-century Sweden.

The first movement, Entrada, is particularly what I'd love to hear but it would be great to hear the whole thing.

Air date: October 1, 2025

Pavane For A Dead Princess, Maurice Ravel

Suggested by Terence in Portland, Oregon

As a teenager, I suffered from undiagnosed and untreated depression. Nonetheless, I had come to love classical music by listening to my parents' old 78s and playing flute in band and orchestra. One Christmas my folks gave me the Philadelphia Orchestra's album "Ports of Call" (mentioned by one of your listeners a year or so ago). It contained selections by Ravel, Debussy, Chabrier, and Ibert. I was drawn especially to Ravel's Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte, partly, I suppose, because the evocative title resonated with my own dark teenage thoughts. But mostly I listened to the piece because Ravel's exquisite melody, written (so I thought then) for a sorrowful occasion, comforted me with its calm beauty. I still love the piece 60 years after I first heard it.

Air date: September 30, 2025

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Main Theme), Manaka Kataoka

Suggested by Emmanuelle in Aloha, Oregon

This music makes me so happy. In the story, the protagonist Link searches for Princess Zelda and fights to prevent the malevolent Ganondorf from destroying the kingdom of Hyrule.

Air date: September 29, 2025

Piano Sonata No. 8, “Pathetique”, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

Even though my piano teacher warned me not to play this, I played it at a piano recital anyway... and made some major mistakes. But no one really seemed to care except for me. I thoroughly embarrassed myself, though, and felt like crawling under a rock. The thing is: I played it perfectly 2 weeks before. You live and you learn.

Air date: September 26, 2025

Norma: Casta Diva, Vincenzo Bellini

Suggested by Donna in Vancouver, Washington

I used to listen to opera on the radio all the time, never knowing what they were saying, never knowing the story, so I'd make it all up in my head. Finally in October of 2005 I went to see my first opera, Norma. I had read the story but didn't know much about history so it didn't make a lot of sense, but still, I remember the excitement and goosebumps I had throughout the entire opera, as the music was so beautiful and I had never heard it before. The lyrics were on a sort of subtitle screen above the stage, but I didn't pay too much attention. It has been twenty years and I have learned all about the history the opera is based on, but not because of the opera. Just because of things I've run across, some history lessons, etc. This piece has always stuck with me and I think others will enjoy it.

Air date: September 25, 2025

Pièces de fantaisie Suite No. 2: Toccata, Louis Vierne

Suggested by Kyle in Portland, Oregon

Every time I would listen to the piece, I can feel the chaotic energy of the song resonate in my chest. It inspires me to paint without a thought of anyone else and has powered my artistic liberties to high extents. Along with it’s chaos, it reminds me of a person who I have inspired to be for many years. Being a rather closed off sixteen year old, this song helps me express myself in so many different lights that I can truly appreciate myself.

Air date: September 24, 2025

Nocturne in E minor, Op. 72, No. 1, Frederic Chopin

Suggested by Aletha in Portland, Oregon

I first heard this piece in one of my favorite childhood movies The Secret Garden. Years later in high school a piano teacher assigned me this piece to learn. I fell in love with it and performed it several times as well as for competition. It's technically not that difficult but it expresses so much emotion. I didn't realize it at the time but I think the reason I related to this piece so deeply was due to the loss of my sister that I experienced at the age of 12. I repressed my grief fairly successfully through the art of spiritual bypassing until college but it was still there simmering under the surface, waiting for me until I was ready. I think this piece of music was one of the only outlets I had to touch in on that grief. There is a part of the piece that diverges a bit and sounds almost like a happy memory or reverie with a hint of longing before it brings you back into the more somber minor key. I think this piece will always be one of my favorite piano compositions. Chopin surely was acquainted with heartbreak.

Air date: September 23, 2025

Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 3, Sergei Rachmaninov

Suggested by Michael in Portland, Oregon

I have always listened to classical music. When I was 11, my father brought home his boss who was visiting from out of town to share dinner with us. This gentleman noticed the small spinet piano in the living room and asked if anyone played. My father said, "Why yes, our son." Nervously I sat at the piano and played Fur Elise by Beethoven. Afterward, my father asked him if he played. He said he dabbled a bit. We asked if he would be willing to play something and he agreed. He sat at the piano and was silent, lifted his hands and began Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor. It was mesmerizing, ethereal, and transformative. That one act cemented my love for classical music. Never had I felt so connected to any other composer or one piece of music. Magical.

Air date: September 22, 2025

Solomon: The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, George Frideric Handel

Suggested by Richard in Salem, Oregon

During the 1970s and 80s I used to milk cows in northeastern Connecticut. It is customary to have music playing in a milking parlor, probably more for the people than the cows, though the cows do seem to be relaxed by music. Most farmers had their radios tuned to the local county western station, but mine was always tuned to WGBH out of Boston. Every weekday morning Robert J. Lurtsema was on the air with his show Morning Pro Musica. His show always began with the Dawn Chorus which always started off with the sounds of birds. First a little chirping, with more birds slowly joining in until finally reaching a crescendo then morphing into Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.”
The introduction of the Sound Sanctuary series during your station reminded me of this. This is the quintessential sound sanctuary for me :)

Air date: September 19, 2025

Symphony No. 1: Movement 4, Johannes Brahms

Suggested by Sydney in Portland, Oregon

This was the first piece I conducted in college when I made the switch from being an instrumentalist to a conductor. I'd always been in love with the romantic era composers but found a new respect for them when I started conducting.

Air date: September 18, 2025

Violin Sonata No. 5 in F, Op. 24 “Spring”, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Anonymous in Salem, Oregon

I very recently discovered this beautiful piece of music, and it has quickly become one of my favorite classical works! Piano and violin is one of my favorite instrument combinations. This first movement is melodious and joyful, and I absolutely love the classical brilliance I hear unfolding throughout the entire movement. Well done, Beethoven. I hope this will be a delight to all the listeners.

Air date: September 17, 2025

Chanson de Matin (arr. Johan de Meij), Edward Elgar

Suggested by Catherine in Vancouver, Washington

I learned this piece as a clarinetist in high school, and to this day its gentle beauty, charm and elegance help me feel more at peace with the world.

Air date: September 16, 2025

Enigma Variations: Nimrod, Edward Elgar

Suggested by Morris in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

This is such a beautiful piece of music. Tender, meaningful with sections repeated more beautiful each time.

Air date: September 3, 2025

Moravian-Slovak Suite: In Church, Vítezslav Novák

Suggested by Morris in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I first heard this piece of music about 15 years ago. It’s slow beauty that begins its lovely theme lightly, culminates in the main theme played forte by an organ, makes a deep impression on me. I believe few have heard it!

Air date: September 2, 2025

La Campanella, Franz Liszt

Suggested by Jerry in Portland, Oregon

When I was a child, I became a huge fan of the movie Shine (1996). The movie inspired me to want to learn to play the piano. This piece was featured prominently in the movie Shine, and I always had ambitions to learn it. Even at the age of 10, as a novice piano player, I went out and bought the sheet music to try to learn how to play it. Of course, I was nowhere near the skill level for Franz Liszt. But I experimented with trying to play it, even at that young age, and I like to think it was the beginning of me "dreaming big" and shooting to achieve things way beyond my capabilities because of raw ambition.

Air date: September 1, 2025

Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copland

Suggested by Ellar in Charlotte, North Carolina

I moved to Portland in 2019 and almost immediately found All Classical, which became my go-to for calming workday listening and commutes throughout my five years there. When it came time to move back to be near family again, I knew at least I would have the streaming and app options, and I didn’t think too much about radio beyond that.

I was staying with family in my hometown of Asheville, North Carolina when Hurricane Helene hit. For those first several days afterwards—without power, internet, or cell service—listening to our local station on a battery-powered handheld radio became a lifeline. For what felt like ages, it was the only way we had to hear from the outside world, to begin to understand what had happened beyond our own devastated neighborhoods, to find out when and where help was coming. I do not think I will ever take radio for granted again, and so this Five O’Clock Favorite request is a love letter both to All Classical and to my Western North Carolina mountains.

Though All Classical was not specifically part of my Helene story, you have been present in my life for so many years and continue to be now, once again a familiar and grounding calm as I start a new life in Charlotte. Thank you for being on the radio. It truly is a remarkable medium. Thank you for being present the way you are, for bringing comfort and peace. And thank you for letting me share this.

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