Derek Hasted's News from 2022 ...

Ding Dong Merrily On High

There's just time to publish one more Christmas arrangement for your Christmas concert or event - it's Ding Dong Merrily On High, a gloriously busy (but very playable) arrangement that begins with chimes and peals of bells and ends with ... Big Ben.

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El Noi de la Mare

This beautiful, haunting, Catalan carol makes a really moving yet very accessible concert piece.

Read more about my flute and guitar and my guitar duet arrangements here

Browse all my music...

Rhythm Of Life - 4 guitars/large ensemble

This arrangement is based on a real crowd pleaser that was played by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra - a real foot-tapper.

It's a little tougher for Guitar 1 than many of my arrangements, but there is an alternative for the hardest 8-bar section which is easy to play.

Read more/see/hear Rhythm Of Life here ...

Carol Of The Bells - 4 guitars

My easy-to-play arrangement by Ukrainian composer Leontovych is currently my fastest selling piece.

If you teach or lead an ensemble, this Christmas piece comes together really quickly, so there's still time to squeeze it into your Christmas Concert!

Read more/see/hear Carol Of The Bells here ...

La Bamba - 4 (or 5) guitars

This arrangement is based on a real crowd pleaser that was played by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra - a real foot-tapper.

It's easy to play, and the optional fifth guitar part would suit a beginner guitarist or a bass instrument (it's supplied in treble and bass clef versions).

Easy to put together, it makes a massive wall of sound!

Read more/see/hear La Bamba here ...

Vianne Sets Up Shop - 4 guitars

This arrangement is based on a real crowd pleaser that was played by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra - a real foot-tapper.

Read more/see/hear Vianne Sets Up Shop here ...

O Holy Night - 3 guitars

Here's a very accessible and comfortable arrangement of this famous Christmas piece and at a great price too. Ideal for a large ensemble too, and the parts are suitable for those with limited experience of guitar.

Read more/see/hear O Holy Night here ...

Mary Did You Know? 3 guitars

This arrangement is by popular request! It's a very accessible and comfortable arrangement of this lovely modern Christmas piece.

Read more/see/hear Mary Did You Know here ...

Carol Of The Drum - 6 guitars

This arrangement of the well-known piece (often called Little Drummer Boy) suits 6 guitars or a large ensemble, and it's not at all taxing to play!

Guitar 6 requres 6=D but is suitable for a player with limited experience. The other lines are slightly more busy but are early intermediate standard.

This piece builds and builds!

Read more/see/hear Carol of The Drum here ...

Elizabethan Serenade - 6 guitars (or 5+bass)

This arrangement suits 6 guitars or a large ensemble, and it's not at all taxing to play!

Guitar 6 is supplied in treble and bass clefs, so it can be played on guitar, bass guitar or double bass, or on a mixture.

The piece is early intemediate (the top line is perhaps intermediate), but more experienced players will find that a slightly faster tempo helps the tune's sustain. There are plenty of dynamics and these make the piece come alive.

Read more/see/hear Elizabethan Serenade here ...

The Teddy Bears' Picnic

First published in 1907, this is a real crowd-pleaser in concert - ideal to close the first half or as an encore.

It suits 2 advanced-intemediate guitarists, more for the speed than the notes.

My arrangement, in the same keys as the original, is deliberately straightforward so that the piece works and can be played with the confidence and volume that the original demands.

This will be a concert item the audience doesn't forget!

Read more/see/hear The Teddy Bears' Picnic here ...

Christmas Ensembles

These pieces were originally only available in printed form. Now, by popular demand, here they are as instant downloads - a total of 12 less-familiar Christmas pieces.

• Read more/see/hear 6 Christmas Crackers for THREE guitars here...
• Read more/see/hear 6 Christmas Crackers for FOUR guitars here...
• Both editions work equally well with a large ensemble!

As the weather here in the UK starts to feel distinctly autumnal, many Guitar teachers are already preparing for their Christmas concerts by trying one or more of my Christmas Ensemble arrangements ...

Especially popular is "Carol Of The Bells", the tune of which is a Ukrainian folk tune, and it's made August my busiest month for music sales so far in 2022.

Thank you all - I hope your concerts go well!

Raymond Briggs - The Snowman

RIP Raymond Briggs, prolific author, and famous for writing The Snowman, the basis of the now classic Christmas film.

One of my first published arrangements was "Walking In The Air" - a fantastically popular and haunting Christmas piece.

Read more/see/hear Walking In The Air here...

Portsmouth - Guitar Quartet/large ensemble

Made famous by Mike Oldfield, this traditional Hornpipe was actually first published in 1701. My arrangement sneaks in a little bit of "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor" and makes a spectacular concert item, running to about 5 minutes and building up as the piece progresses.

Read more/see/hear Portsmouth here...

Planxty Three - Guitar Trio/large ensemble

Turlough O'Carolan, the blind Irish Harpist, wrote arguably some of the finest melodies one can enjoy.

Here are three of his pieces - Planxy Irwin, Planxty Sir George Brabazon and the wonderfully titled Planxty Sir Festus Burke. Together they form a contrasting suite - three distinct moods, and all at the early intermediate to intermediate standard.

Read more/see/hear Planxty Three here...

The Only Living Boy In New York

Written by Paul Simon when he was in New York without Art Garfunkel, this slightly poignant song makes a wonderful guitar and woodwind duet.

My arrangements are somewhere between Early Intermediate and Intermediate.

Read more about (and hear an excerpt of) my flute & guitar (and clarinet & guitar) arrangements here.

At the time of writing, my catalog has over 270 items. Check back here for future additions...

Mozart Presto - K522

Sometimes called "A Musical Joke", I've arranged an abridged version of the fourth movement of Mozart's suite for 3 guitars.

But if you live in the UK, you might know it better as being the basis of the theme to TV's "The Horse Of The Year Show".

Read more about my guitar trio arrangement here

A Kiss At The End Of The Rainbow

This lovely piece features in the mockumentary film "A Mighty Wind", and it truly is a high spot in the film!

Read more about my flute and guitar (and clarinet and guitar) arrangements here

Chi Mai - new arrangement for flute & guitar

Chi Mai has proved to be one of my most popular arrangements, so I'm pleased to re-work it for flute and guitar duet and open up this lovely music to yet more players...

Here are the other versions on sale...

• Chi Mai for Guitar Trio/Large Ensemble - easy version
• Chi Mai for Guitar duo

Fields of Gold - new arrangements

Following some great feedback at fusion's concert in May just gone, I've re-worked the versions of "Fields of Gold" that I have on sale - all of them are now the full-length Eva Cassidy version, complete with the instrumental break in the middle.

Here are the versions on sale...

• Fields of Gold for Guitar Trio/Large Ensemble
• Fields of Gold for Flute & Guitar duo
• Fields of Gold for Oboe and Guitar duo

The Muppets Theme - 4 guitars or large ensemble

My easy-to-play arrangement of The Muppets Theme is back - originally withdrawn from sale when copyright permission was retracted, it's now back on sale with revised copyright permission, so download and you're good to go!

Read more/see/hear "The Muppets Theme" here ...

Elton John's Basque - oboe and guitar duet

My arrangements of Elton John's Basque (for flute and guitar and for guitars) are amongst my best sellers. And now I've added an arrangement for oboe and guitar.

The characteristically haunting, emotional, sound of the oboe is limited to a modest range of pitch, so my oboe arrangement is pitched in a different key. The guitar part is capo 2, so that the arpeggio shapes are accessible to those players of even quite modest ability, though more experienced players will enjoy the rich sound that comes from their guitar.

Read more/see/hear "Basque" here ...

Spanish Flea - 3 guitars / large ensemble

Here's a "blast from the past" - my arrangement of the tune made famous by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

Read more/see/hear "Spanish Flea" here ...

The Rise & Fall of Flingel Bunt - 4 guitars / large ensemble

This arrangement - based on the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra's version, which audiences always enjoyed - is an intermediate quartet (also suits large ensemble). A toe-tapping crowd-pleaser, there's a funky bass-line to die for!

The soundclip features HAGO playing a snippet of this piece live in concert.

Read more/see/hear "Flingel Bunt" here ...

Por Una Cabeza - 4/5 guitars or large ensemble

This arrangement can be played as an intermediate quartet (or large ensemble), but also comes with an optional descant line for a 5th guitar. The descant line mirrors the violin accompaniment in the film "Scent of a Woman" and can be played high up the neck (advanced intermediate) or on the main part of the neck (intermediate ability).

Read more/see/hear "Por Una Cabeza" here ...

Oh Dear! What Can The Matter Be? - 3 guitars/large ensemble

My latest arrangement is the well-known traditional folk song . It makes a rumbustious concert item for an intermediate guitar trio or a large ensemble. With multiple verses arranged in different textures and shared between the players, there's something for everyone here, and at a bargain price too - the edition contains individual parts and a full score too.

Read more/see/hear "Oh Dear! What Can The Matter Be?" here ...

New Music - You Are The Reason - flute & guitar

This glorious piece, sung by Calum Scott, finds new life in my arrangement that takes the original voice & piano and fits them onto flute & guitar, to make a full-length piece that builds and fades away like the original.

• I've also produced "You Are The Reason" for two guitars
• and "You Are The Reason" for Bb clarinet and guitar

Read more/see/hear "You Are The Reason" here ...

New Music - La Cucaracha - 3 guitars/large ensemble

Almost everyone knows this catchy Mexican Folk Tune, though not many know that it translates to "The Cockroach".

My arrangement for 3 guitars is ideal for a school concert or a whacky encore in a concert - it's easy to play, and the three parts are slightly different standards - from novice to intermediate.

Read more/see/hear "La Cucaracha" here ...

Theme from The Godfather (Speak Softly Love) - guitar duet

Here's a wonderfully gentle but haunting piece - my arrangement of Nino Rota's melody, as featured in The Godfather film

Read more/see/hear "Theme from The Godfather" here ...

I've also arranged the theme for flute and guitar duet ...

Pirates Of The Caribbean - 4 guitars/large ensemble

My latest new arrangement for sale is a boisterous crowd-pleaser, based on the version performed by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra.

Read more/see/hear "Pirates Of The Caribbean" here ...

Adagio (Secret Garden) - 3 guitars/large ensemble

Here's a second wonderful piece of calming music in these troubled times - my arrangement of Rolf Løvland's haunting melody, as featured on the Secret Garden album. See also Nocturne, below

Read more/see/hear "Adagio for 3 Guitars" here ...

Nocturne (Secret Garden) - 3 guitars/large ensemble

Here's a wonderful piece of calming music in these troubled times - my arrangement of Rolf Løvland's haunting melody, as featured on the Secret Garden album.

Read more/see/hear "Nocturne for 3 Guitars" here ...

I've also arranged the music for flute and guitar duet ...

All Day (The Shadows) - 4 guitars/large ensemble

Here's a blast from the past, a real foot-tapping crowd-pleaser arranged to suit an early intermediate quartet or large group - a great concert piece for those with less experience and fun to play whatever one's ability!

Read more/see/hear "All Day (The Shadows)" here ...

New Music to buy - Suo Gân - 3 guitars/large ensemble

This delightful Welsh Lullaby, arranged here for an Early Intermediate group, makes a reflective and beautiful interlude in any concert.

Read more/see/hear "Suo Gân" here ...

New Music to buy - The Entertainer - 3 guitars/large ensemble

This famous Ragtime piece for an Early Intermediate group is a real crowd-pleaser that any audience would enjoy.

Read more/see/hear "The Entertainer" here ...

New Music to buy - Chanson Triste - guitar ensembles, guitar & woodwind

This haunting piece by Tchaikovsky makes a wonderful contrasting item in any school concert or adult recital.

Originally for piano, I have produced 4 arrangements

• Chanson Triste for 3 guitars (intermediate)
• Chanson Triste for 5 guitars/large ensemble (early intermediate)
• Chanson Triste for flute & guitar (intermediate)
• Chanson Triste for Bb clarinet & guitar (intermediate)