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 31, 2025

Tales From the Vienna Woods, Johann Strauss, Jr.

Suggested by Dave in Federal Way, Washington

This has always been one of my two favorite Strauss waltzes (along with the Emperor Waltz). Starting with the opening horn call, I just find the music captivating! It also depicts perfectly the feeling I got in 1972 when flying into Vienna and seeing the Vienna Woods in person (from the air) -- good memories.

Air date: July 30, 2025

Tuba Concerto, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Suggested by Lars in Tigard, Oregon

The first movement of this piece I played as my 'music final' my senior year of high school. When my band director first handed me the sheet music I remember looking at him and laughing because I thought he was joking - this was by far the hardest piece of music I had ever played. But slowly, over the course of the school year, the piece started to come together and before long I became obsessed with trying to perfect the first movement. It wasn't until I performed the piece for the first time that I was finally able to hit those high notes near the end of the first movement. It became one of my peak musical moments that I look back on now, almost 20 years later, with great satisfaction and I owe it to my high school band director that somehow knew what I was capable of, even if I didn't.

Air date: July 29, 2025

Of Our New Day Begun, Omar Thomas

Suggested by Jennifer in Sherwood, Oregon

I first heard this piece when my son's high school Wind Ensemble played it a couple of years ago. "Of Our New Day Begun” was composed by Omar Thomas to honor nine people who lost their lives to an act of domestic terrorism on June 17, 2015 while worshipping in the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. I cried every time I heard the high school youth play it - it is a reminder that the next generation can change the world and there is hope for peace. The music is so moving and haunting. I don't know if any professional recordings exist of it since it's fairly new, but I really hope it can be found and played so more people can hear it. I knew if anyone could track it down to play on the air it would be All Classical.

Air date: July 28, 2025

Dream a Little Dream, Wilbur Schwandt

Suggested by Christopher in Portland, Oregon

In this Pink Martini recording, Thomas Lauderdale opens with “Claire de Lune" and then segues into “Dream a Little Dream.” I think folks will love the tease. The voices belong to the Von Trapps, descendants of the family made famous in "The Sound of Music." They sound great, and have toured with Pink Martini in the past.

Air date: July 25, 2025

String Quartet No. 2: Nocturne, Alexander Borodin

Suggested by Diane in Portland, Oregon

Borodin wrote this for his wife. It is beautiful. Once when I was listening to it, I thought, "Borodin really loved his wife." Then I heard the audible voice of the Lord say "I love you so much more." It is the only time I have ever hear God speak to me in that way. I keep that in mind when I hear this music.

Air date: July 24, 2025

Avatar: I See You, James Horner

Suggested by Susan in Portland, Oregon

I heard a suite from Avatar some time ago at an open rehearsal of the Oregon Symphony. I was just amazed with this music. I'd love to hear some of it again.

Air date: July 23, 2025

The Clock and the Dresden Figures, Albert Ketelby

Suggested by Whit in Portland, Oregon

I once DANCED to this piece by this underrated composer of British Light music. Just change the Dresden figures to two mice performed by two amazing high school dancers. I was the clock.

Air date: July 22, 2025

Graceful Ghost Rag, William Bolcom

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

This reminds me of going through the haunted house in Disneyland where the ghosts are playing in the graveyard. That was a great attraction. I probably will never get back there but it's a great memory at least.

Air date: July 21, 2025

Fanfare for the Common Man, Aaron Copland

Suggested by Christopher in Portland, Oregon

Most (if not all) of us are quite familiar with Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man primarily as a brass chorus, but how about with the human voice instead? Dan Dean’s (augmented) vocal version inspires!

Air date: July 18, 2025

From a Moonlit Ceremony: 1. Evocation, George McKay

Suggested by Steve in Portland, Oregon

Seattle composer McKay uses Muckleshoot Indian songs and dances in his music. This work is at times luminous and other times bouncy and joyful. I enjoy listening to it. The Muckleshoot live near Mt. Rainier.

Air date: July 17, 2025

The Gadfly: Introduction, Dmitri Shostakovich

Suggested by Dave in Federal Way, Washington

The saxophone can be a wonderful instrument to listen to when it's being played lyrically, rather than being honked -- one of the reasons I love the music of Glenn Miller. It's rarely heard in classical music, though. Shostakovich actually made extensive use of it in his works, quite artistically, and I think the quartet in this piece is one of his best efforts. I'd just like to give some exposure to an instrument that doesn't get its fair share of respect!

Air date: July 16, 2025

Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”: III. Scherzo, Antonin Dvorak

Suggested by Michelle in Portland, Oregon

If record albums were trading cards, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 would be my "Mickey Mantle". As a teenager, I had a habit of starting every Saturday morning lying on the floor and listening to what I called "the BIG symphonies" - Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, etc. Dvorak's No. 9 (London Philharmonic with the funky blue cover) was my current favorite when my mother came to me and asked to trade my Dvorak for her Beethoven's 5th because it inspired her to do the ironing. I was not happy. I was 'so over' Beethoven's 5th by that point and didn't want to give up my Dvorak. But being the smart teenager I was and not wanting to get saddled with the ironing chores, I consented. For some reason, to this day I have never replaced my copy. I'm not sure which parts inspired her the most but if I were doing the ironing I would choose the scherzo.

Air date: July 15, 2025

Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”: Mvmt 3 Rondo-Allegro non troppo, Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Ansel in Portland, Oregon

Many years ago, while I was studying at the Guildhall School of Music, the late Alfred Brendel played Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto next door with the London Symphony Orchestra. But the concert was completely sold out with no rush tickets available. So there were about 50 of us, mostly broke college kids, huddled around the monitors in the Barbican lobby. We listened through the doors like some sort of Depression-era bourgeoisie, desperate for some of Brendel's inimitable clarity and nuance. It'll always be one of my favorite performances and most cherished memories of classical music. Rest in peace to another legend and giant of 20th century pianism!

Air date: July 14, 2025

Lionel Daunais, Le Pont Mirabeau

Suggested by Pie in Portland, Oregon

Just think if you had a hard day at work and need to relax... this definitely will help along with a glass of wine. :)

Air date: July 11, 2025

Pictures at an Exhibition: Great Gate of Kiev (trans. for organ), Modeste Mussorgsky

Suggested by Ron in La Center, Washington

Pictures at an Exhibition was my favorite music composition growing up and I collected various versions, from the ELP rock version to Tomita's electronic version, to symphonic versions. But one record I lost was a version played on the Wanamaker organ in Philly (now Macy's). If you had that version I would love to hear it again (or a similar version on the organ). Thanks!

Air date: July 10, 2025

Intermezzo in A, Opus 118, No. 2, Johannes Brahms

Suggested by Dana in Gresham, Oregon

I'm almost 70 years old and I've been a pianist my whole life. My teacher just gave me this piece to learn. I am blown away by it's beauty, complexity and depth, it's lyricism. I've never really played much Brahms before. It stays in my head all day after I practice and I feel like if I can master it, I can die a happy woman!!

Air date: July 9, 2025

Symphony No. 9: II. Molto vivace (Scherzo), Ludwig van Beethoven

Suggested by Dave in Federal Way, Washington

Beethoven's 9th is a traditional New Year's piece in Japan, similar to the Radetzky March in Vienna. When I was playing in the Guam Symphony (a smallish community orchestra) we had some players visit from Japan to play this symphony. We were short of horn players, though, and I jumped back and forth between the 2nd and 4th horn parts. I never realized before then that the solo horn parts throughout the 3rd movement all belong to the 4th horn! There are many stories going around about just why Beethoven wrote it that way, and we'll probably never know for sure. Nevertheless, I consider this 5:00 Favorite a tribute to all those at the forgotten end of the section -- or, as Anna Russell described them, some of the "denizens of the deep end of the orchestra".

Air date: July 8, 2025

Piano Sonata No. 2 in b-flat, Op. 35: III. Funeral March, Frederic Chopin

Suggested by Russell in Portland, Oregon

My father's mother was an accomplished pianist, playing all her life on a Steinway Parlor Grand Piano she received as a gift from her parents, performing recitals in Hood River and Portland and studying in New York City in the 1920s. My father, the eldest son, did not have a particular aptitude for the piano, but in an act of rebellion, apparently did learn one song: the Funeral March. When I came along, my father wanted to teach it to me. I recall, when I was about 6 or 7, being taught on my grandmother's piano the most famous few stanzas by my father, but my hands were too small to bridge a full octave. When he couldn't figure out how to adapt it for my small hands, he consulted his mother and she taught me the most important keys that my hands could reach. I would play the snippet I knew, as a little bit of mischievous dark humor, whenever a piano presented itself throughout my young life. Eventually my hands got big enough that I could cover the octaves and it sounded a bit better, but I never learned the full movement. Later, I became more familiar listening to the full piece and really loved it, particularly how sadness transitions into a middle section, remembering the sweet times of life, and then transitioning back to the realization of loss. It is wonderful. I definitely want it played at my memorial (hopefully in the distant future).

Air date: June 20, 2025

Mazurkas, Op. 50, Nos. 1-4, Karol Szymanowski

Suggested by Richard in Portland, Oregon

I am a retired pianist/professor and Szymanowski was the subject of my DMA lecture-recital at UWI-Madison. I performed various of his works including Etudes, op. 4, and Metopes, op. 29. I'd love for more people to be aware of his music!

Air date: June 19, 2025

Symphony of Sorrowful Songs: Mvmt II: Lento, Henryk Górecki

Suggested by Kim in Portland, Oregon

My classical favorite? Henryk Górecki’s Third Symphony. I was living in Chicago in 1998 when I had a massive stroke and my wife was serving her internship in Minnesota in pediatric neuropsychology. A classical radio station played the piece several times, I recall, when I was recovering. Górecki’s “sorrowful songs” convinced me that we had many things yet to do. And here we are in Portland 25 years later enjoying life and beautiful music on All Classical. Thank you so very much.

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