Blue Ridge Mountains captures the beauty of this section of the Appalachian Mountain range that stretches through the states from Georgia to Pennsylvania. The first movement, Skyline Drive, " is a waltz with long lyrical lines. "Nantahala River Rapids" is a lively excursion in 6/8 time. Scale-like figures and sections with chromatic scales depict rafters moving through the swirling rapids. The slow third movement, "Brasstown Bald Blues, " gives a relaxed view of Brasstown Bald, the tallest mountain in Georgia. "Raven Rocks Rag" is reminiscent of a Scott Joplin rag without the large left-hand leaps. Its syncopated melodies lead performers through the hiking trails associated with Raven Rocks. The final movement, "Looking Glass Falls, " is majestic and suggests both the powerful energy of the falls in the summer and the sparkling sheets of ice in the winter.