Bax arranged his short tone poem Red Autumn for two pianos in 1931. It was derived from a solo piano piece he composed in 1912, now lost, which had apparently been intended for orchestration. The arrangement was the last of several works Bax created for Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson, a married couple who performed as a piano duo. He dedicated the piece to them, and they gave its first performance at the College of Nursing Hall on October 3, 1933.

The seasons were a frequent source of musical inspiration for Bax—one can think of titles like Spring Fire, Summer Music, Enchanted Summer, and so on. Red Autumn is another such vivid work. The sweep of the six-or-so-minute composition definitely suggests an orchestral conception, as do the rich post-Romantic harmonies. An imperious opening theme leads into a lazy, sun-dappled second idea. Cascading scales accompany the opening theme upon its return.

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