Farrell - Tennessee Roads: II. Great River Road

From the composer:

In Tennessee Roads, I create a sound portrait of 3 different scenic roads in Tennessee. By using the 6 string electric violin to augment the acoustic string quartet, I was able to create unique combinations of old and new sounds, especially through the use of the looping pedal. The first movement, “Newfound Gap” depicts a sunrise in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A low pitched drone is created with the looping pedal to give the impression of the fog of early morning in the mountains. The second movement “Great River Road” flows along with a melody intended to evoke the idea of the current of the Mississippi River. The looping pedal is used throughout most of this movement to repeat a simple melody over which other melodies join and fade away. “Devil’s Backbone,” is the final movement of the quintet. “Devil’s Backbone” is a colloquial name for the Natchez Trace, which was a major trade and travel route through Tennessee known for its lawlessness. After a brief introduction, the 6 string violin plays a country fiddle melody that returns many times during the movement.