“Music is central to Into the Wilderness . . . Luskin is convincing in translating the aural, physical and emotional power of music into words on the paper. The result is a wonderful novel.” – Addison Independent review
A list of the music the characters listen to in each chapter.
Chapter 1: Theme & Variation
Percy listens to Glenn Gould’s 1955 Columbia Masterworks’ recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Later, he remembers Lila furiously playing Scarlatti, probably the Sonata in C, L.104/K.159.
Chapter 2: In the Garden
Percy plays Henry Purcell’s Minuet from Easy Classics to Moderns, Consolidated Music Publishers, 1956.
Chapter 4: Marlboro Music
Percy and Rose meet at a Sunday afternoon concert in July, where they listen to an all-Bach program: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4; Concerto in C Major for Three Pianos; and Brandenburg Concerto No. 3.
Percy hears Bartok’s String Quartet No. 6 on a Sunday in August, before Rose arrives. He leaves the auditorium and is outdoors when Rose arrives late. They miss the performance of Ludwig Spohr’s Six German Songs, Opus 103 and Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen, Opus 132, a trio for clarinet, viola and piano, but go inside for the final piece, Mendelssohn’s Quartet No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 13. It is the debut of the Guarneri Quartet.
Rose remembers hearing Brahms’ Sonatas for Piano and Cello at Washington Irving High School. She and Isadore Mayer hear Beethoven’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Opus 16, and Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47.
Chapter 8: Canning Tomatoes
Percy remembers Lila playing a Chopin nocturne, probably Nocturne No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Opus 9 No. 1.
Percy practices scales and exercises from C. L. Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist In Sixty Exercises For the Piano, G. Schirmer, 1900.
Chapter 9: Yom Kippur
Sitting alone on Yom Kippur, Rose hears the Rondo from Mozart’s Sonata for Piano & Violin in F Major, K. 376.
Chapter 12: Christmas Eve
After singing traditional carols at the Christmas Eve service, Rose goes home with Percy, to listen to the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah.
Chapter 13: New Year’s Eve
At his birthday party, Percy plays Bach’s Two-Part Invention No. 1 in C Major and Chopin’s Prelude in A Major, Op. 28 No. 7.
Chapter 14: Fresh Paint
Percy practices Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor, Op. 28 No.4 during his and Rose’s mid-day break from painting and refurbishing his house.
“Luskin creates characters about whom readers care, masterfully discusses music and brings to life a vivid small Vermont town.” —Jewish Independent
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