While I'm waiting for my music order from Germany to arrive, I want to let you know about this oboist, composer and arranger: Andreas Nikolai Tarkmann.

Anyone interested in Harmoniemusik should know about him: he's the 21st Century Wenzel Sedlak. He has arranged and re-arranged many of the Mozart operas for wind ensemble, filling in pieces that Triebensee, Wendt and Heidenreich omitted (eg: der Hoelle Rache, Soave sia Il vento); re-arranging many arias for better balance and fidelity to Mozart (Non piu di fiore with the bassethorn obligato); and even offering "Figaro" in an arrangement with the same instrumentation as the Gran Partita.

Hellgate Harmonie recently played his arrangement of Mendelssohn's incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was delightful. Perhaps one day, we'll work with a theater group to do a complete staging of the play with music.

We're looking forward to receiving Tarkmann's Harmonie arrangement of Smetana's Bartered Bride. Should sound great at Bohemian Hall.

Here's Tarkmann's website for more info: http://www.tarkmann.de