SKU: HL.4007979

All the best! These words expressing good fortune are often heard at occasions such as birthdays, or other changes life may bring. The music association in Rickenbach, Germany, wanted an upbeat concert work to celebrate its anniversary, as a kind of signature tune for the band. Otto M. schwarz had already composed several pieces in this genre, such as Fire & Ice, Last Call, and Funky Brass, to name but a few, and is constantly trying to transport new sounds and bold rhythmic ideas into the world of wind music. schwarz composes original works for wind band and his pieces are specifically tailored to exploit all the possibilities of this instrumentation. All the Best will be a huge success with musicians and audience alike, whether as a congratulatory piece, a concert-opener, or as a rousing encore.

SKU: HL.4008028

The Greek poet Homer wrote about Troy and the Trojan War - which probably took place in what is now Asia Minor - in his Iliad in the 8th century B.C. Nowadays, the term 'Trojan' generally refers to a malware program that is used to gain unauthorized access to computers. This use comes from the legendary Trojan Horse, which saw the turning poing in the battle between Greeks and Trojans through the cunning of Odysseus. Let us return to the beginning of the story: Paris, son of the king of Troy, is tasked by Zeus with judging the beauty of the three goddesses Aphrodite, Pallas Athena, and Hera. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, flatters Paris by promising him the most beautiful woman in the world. Soon afterwards, on a journey to Greece, Paris meets the beautiful Helen, who immediately falls in love with him. Since however she is the wife of Spartan king Menelaus, she eventually lets herself be kidnapped by Paris voluntarily. The Greeks then form a large army and go to war against Troy to retrieve Helen, leading to a ten-year siege of the city. The city is eventually conquered not through combat, however, but through Odysseus' cunning ploy. He has the idea of building an enormous wooden horse with warriors hidden inside. The horse is placed at the gates of the city. Thus, the Trojans are tricked into giving up the siege when, despite various warnings, they bring the horse into the city to dedicate it to the goddess Athena. At night, the soldiers climb out of the horse and open the gate for the Greek army. The troops storm the city and raze it to the ground. The royal family and all the Trojan warriors are killed - only Aeneas, the son of Aphrodite, escapes. Later, following many years' wanderings he and his acolytes will become known as the founders of the Roman people.

SKU: HL.4007989

Nostradamus was one of humankind's greatest prophets. Many of his coded prophecies proved true. He lived at the time of the inquisition, and his predictions and medical therapies as a physician made him face consequences from the church. After he had been forced to flee several times and had lost his family to the plague, he devoted himself to clairvoyance. He wrote down many events in history in coded predictions. Although there is probably more than one possible way of interpretation, in our world, Nostradamus is still considered to be a unique personality. Whether he is degraded to a charlatan or turned into a myth, he surely has moved humankind with his prophecies.