Abstract: The article is devoted to one of the brightest representatives of Russian mujsical art, military bands, and peculiarities of preparation of their repertoire. The aim of the research is to provide a general insight into the repertoire of Russian military bands, how it is prepared, selected and performed taking into account specific features of socio-political expositions of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic since 1918 till 1922 and pre-war period of the USSR since 1922 till 1941. In his research Malyutin analyzes the role of military music as an instrument of the political and ideological influence of the government. The methodology of the research is based on the study and analysis of historical facts and creative work of military music bands that are being introduced in the academic literature. The author of the article focuses on compositions of famous composers and musical activists as well as attitude of political agents to musical arts. The author also offers his own classification of periods in the development of the military music repertoire. Malyutin carries out a comparative analysis of activities of Russian military bands during the pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary periods, objectives and methods of their performance, staff and organisation chart of military bands and the influence of art on people.