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: February 23, 2026

Gymnopédie No. 1 & Gershwin’s Prelude No. 2, Erik Satie & George Gershwin

Suggested by Sean in Portland, Oregon

In these tense times I’d like to dial the tension down by hearing two short pieces back-to-back. First is Satie’s Gymnopédie No. 1 for solo piano, a beautiful meditative piece. I love the anticipation of each note in the upper voice, which reminds me of my favorite piece of “big” Classical music, which is the slow movement of Beethoven’s Emperor concerto. The second piece I’d like to hear, another anti-Bruckner, is Gershwin’s Prelude No. 2. Again, I love the spaces between the notes.

Air date: February 5, 2026

Piano Sonata No. 8, “Pathetique”: 1. Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Sheila in Portland, Oregon

I love this piece, it almost sounds like rock and roll!

Air date: February 4, 2026

Piano Concerto No. 3: Finale, Sergei Rachmaninov

Suggested by Patrick in Lincoln City, Oregon

I'm remembering that event- gosh, decades ago- when the soloist had hand cramps and last minute Oregon Symphony had to fly this other pianist extremely last minute. And his rush to get through airport and playing on the plane table in front of him- air playing the Rach 3! It had all the drama of a spy novel full of suspense and a whole city of concert goers on edge of their seats…. anyway, that was fun!
[Christa's note: In October 2004, Russian pianist Yakov Kasman substituted for Louis Lortie to perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Oregon Symphony. Kasman, a 1997 Van Cliburn silver medalist, took on the role with almost no rehearsal after Lortie cancelled due to a hand injury.]

Air date: February 3, 2026

Symphony No. 94, “Surprise”, Joseph Haydn

Suggested by Laura in Portland, Oregon

My parents used to have a record of Disney's "Make Mine Music" and "Melody Time." I don't remember all the music featured, but the Surprise Symphony stuck out because of of the story. What I remember is that Haydn was tired of the audience falling asleep during the performances, so he added the "surprise" in the second movement.

Air date: February 2, 2026

For Those We Remember, Calen Jennings

Suggested by Karl in Portland, Oregon

This is a song from a pianist who goes simply by the name 'calen.' After his cousin lost his battle with cancer, this was one of the first solo piano works he wrote and recorded. This piece was never meant to be released, however it symbolizes not an end but a new start. I think that is really beautiful.

Air date: January 23, 2026

Peter and the Wolf, Sergei Prokofiev

Suggested by Levi in Forest Grove, Oregon

My 8-year old son, Levi, is requesting Peter and the Wolf. He made a short video (attached) to explain what it means to him. The transcript is basically "Hi, I'm Levi and I like Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev because it brings back memories of old Christmas times when Papa used to turn on the record player and play it."

Air date: January 22, 2026

Symphony No. 8, “Symphony of a Thousand”: Finale, Gustav Mahler

Suggested by David in Portland, Oregon

This is one of my favorite pieces of all time and truly is Mahler’s most breathtaking work.

Air date: January 21, 2026

Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances for Chorus and Orchestra, 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 scrolling 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: January 20, 2026

Huapango, Jose Pablo Moncayo

Suggested by Sophia in Portland, Oregon

I played this with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony on our Spain & Portugal tour. It's such a happy piece and brings back really fond memories.

Air date: January 19, 2026

Etudes No. 7 & 12, H. Leslie Adams

Suggested by Randall in Portland, Oregon

YEARS ago I remember hearing an episode of Thursdays @ Three which featured a local pianist playing music by a Black composer I had never heard of before: H. Leslie Adams. I loved how his style blends classical and jazz in a really beautiful way. I'd love to hear more of his music...

Air date: January 16, 2026

Fur Elise, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Marie in Tigard, Oregon

Christa, you ask about pieces that hold special memories for us. Well, for me, Fur Elise provides a huge wave of nostalgia. I remember sitting next to my mom (my first piano teacher!) on the piano bench as she helped me pick out the notes on the keyboard. Those moments together with her are such a precious memory... snuggled alongside each other on the bench, our hands intermingling on the keys, making art together. Fur Elise will always transport me back to my childhood.

Air date: January 15, 2026

Reflections in the Water, Claude Debussy

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

Debussy wrote this to musically depict light reflecting off of the water's surface. The piece creates an image of water being not quite still, then becoming rapid, then decreasing in motion again. The best pianists make this sound easy, even though you know it's not!

Air date: January 14, 2026

Piano Sonata No. 14, “Moonlight”, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Jim in Portland, Oregon

I was listening to a CD of this piece one day with my eyes closed, and when I heard the third movement I couldn't believe it was part of the same piece!

Air date: January 13, 2026

Sleepers, Awake!, Johann Sebastian Bach

Suggested by Carol in Portland, Oregon

I attended the Chamber Music Northwest concert on Saturday night which featured Edgar Meyer, Tessa Lark & Joshua Roman. The trio played this work as an encore and it took my breath away.

Air date: January 12, 2026

Turkish Rondo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Suggested by Elizabeth in Portland, Oregon

This delightful little piece makes me dance around my living room. What more can you really ask for?

Air date: January 9, 2026

Far Out In The Ocean, Helen Habershon

Suggested by Melinda in Portland, Oregon

This piece sounds somewhat calm, but I believe it has an undercurrent such as Herman Melville reminds us in Moby Dick, "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean's skin, one forgets the Tiger Heart that pants beneath it".

Air date: January 8, 2026

The Pearl Fishers: Au fond du temple saint, Georges Bizet

Suggested by Dave in Federal Way, Washington

One of the ongoing debates among opera lovers is "What is the best duet of all time?" I imagine most would say "The Flower Duet" from Lakmé, but my absolute favorite duet is "Au fond du temple saint" from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers. I first heard it when I was living in the Chicago area and fell in love with it right away! It didn't hurt that the recording featured Sherrill Milnes, with whom I share an original hometown (Downers Grove, IL).
I'd particularly like to hear the recording with Sherrill Milnes (for reasons already stated) and Placido Domingo, my all-time favorite tenor.

Air date: January 7, 2026

Symphony No. 5: II. Allegro marcato, Sergei Prokofiev

Suggested by Mike in Portland, Oregon

There are these pieces that are just 'over the top', that carry us away to another place, stop us in our tracks from whatever we're doing and command our full attention. They make us wonder "How in the heck did this composer come up with that amazing idea?" This movement from Prokofiev is right up there for me, along with other "over the top" moments, like the final movement of Saint-Saens' Symphony #3 (the "Organ" symphony), or Respighi's the "Pines of Rome", or most all of Beethoven's 7th symphony. Christa, I know this isn't your usual "relaxing" type of Five O'clock Fav, but every once in a while, we need to kick start the blood flow!

Air date: January 6, 2026

The Star and the Wise Men, Charles Gabriel

Suggested by Margo in Portland, Oregon

Growing up we were part of a small Mennonite Community in North Dakota and at that time Mennonites did not use musical instruments, so we sang. Everyone in my family and in my church loved to sing, all in beautiful four part harmony. Our favorite song, made popular for us by the Mennonite Hour Choir, was called From Land of the East We Have Traveled Afar. It's not easy to find a recording of it by the Mennonite Hour Choir, but this one is just lovely, and I and all your listeners will enjoy it, I'm sure.

Air date: January 5, 2026

Razumovsky Quartet in C, Opus 59, No. 3: IV. Allegro molto, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by John in Portland, Oregon

This music conjures a vivid memory of an episode of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson during which his first guest was Portland-native Robert Mann, first violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet! And not just Mann,... but also the rest of the Quartet. But it's Mann who sits next to Johnny, engaging in conversation with the legendary talk-show host.

After a few minutes of back-and-forth, it's time for a commercial. Before going to the break, Johnny asks Mann what the Quartet is going to play afterward. His unhesitating reply - “The final movement of Beethoven's 3rd Razumofski string quartet.”

Back after the commercial, all attention is now on the Quartet, in place onstage. They deliver a high-energy performance – with a take-no-prisoners tempo. At the final chord – the audience, as one person, leaps to their feet, shouting, cheering and applauding the Juilliard's exciting performance!

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