"The secret of politics? Make a good treaty with Russia!"

This spectacular album of Russian Imperial marches, presented in a CD compilation of astounding fidelity that features period arrangements and instrumentation, was released in Germany in 2015 on the occasion of the bicentenary of the birth of the Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898).

Why Bismarck? As Prussian envoy to Saint Petersburg, and later as Chancellor of Prussia and the German Empire, this wily political genius came to appreciate that the long-term security of his country could be guaranteed only by establishing a lasting partnership with its colossal eastern neighbor.  

These performances date from around the early 1960s and were originally released in France on a now very-collectible LP, which was intended for distribution among the sizable community of Russian exiles resident in that country ever since the defeat of the White Armies in the Russian Civil War.

Thanks to expert remastering and restoration, these performances sound as sparkling and clear as anything recorded in recent years, even as they recall the splendor of the empire of the Romanov Tsars and the heritage of the ancient and aristocratic regiments that fought beneath their standards. 

Complete Contents Include: