Instrumentation

• Flute

• Oboe

• Bassoon

• Clarinet

• Bass Clarinet

• Alto Saxophone

• Tenor Saxophone

• Baritone Saxophone

• Trumpet

• F Horn

• Trombone

• Euphonium (BC and TC)

• Tuba

• Timpani (optional)

• Xylophone (optional)

• Marimba (optional)

• Snare Drum

• Advanced Snare Drum (optional)

• Bass Drum

• Crash Cymbals

• Suspended Cymbal

• Triangle

• Tambourine

Rehearsal Notes

• The entire song uses only the first six notes of the Concert B-flat scale, making it a perfect song for beginning bands looking to branch out from method books and into more serious band literature

• All wind players have the opportunity to play the melody at some point throughout the song, the full melody is included in the Rhythm and Melody guide which can be used as a teaching tool.

• The song uses 10 unique percussion parts, but is playable with only 6 of these parts, as the optional parts add to the song but don’t significantly detract from the overall performance if they can’t be performed

• The conductor can use either or both the Snare Drum and Advanced Snare Drum parts. Advanced snare drum adds flams, but otherwise plays basically the same rhythms throughout.

• This song has a partner song for this tune, Red Sky at Night Sailor’s Delight, which uses the same melody but changes the starting note while still staying within the first six notes of the Concert B-flat Scale. This can be used to explain how composers use one melody to create many songs that sound very different from each other.

Program Notes

The title of this tune comes from weather folklore that states that the color of the sky at various times of day can warn of impending storms. A red sky in the morning is viewed as a forebear of band things. A red sunrise means that good weather has already passed, and that a low pressure system is making it’s way in, warning us of bad weather approaching.

The melody for the tune is taken directly from Red Sky At Night Sailor’s Delight, it’s partner song. This time the melody is moved up to C Dorian, making the tune sound more like a pirate theme and less like a calming lullaby, while also staying within the first 6 notes of the Concert B-flat Scale