Vladimir Miller - The Twelve Brigands

The Twelve Brigands is a Russian folk song with the lyrics written by the poet Nikolay Nekrasov. It tells the story of the leader of a gang twelve robbers who repents his sins when he's older and enters a monastery.

I asked for the English translation of the lyrics and the following conversation ensued:

Here is the English translation of the song "Двенадцать разбойников" (The Twelve Highwaymen):

Original Text in Russian

Жили двенадцать разбойников,
Двенадцать удалых молодцов,
Одиннадцать-то убивали,
А двенадцатый крест носил.

Был тот двенадцатый умный,
И спросили его молодцы:
«Зачем ты, братец, крест носишь,
Зачем Бога ты молишь?»

«А как пойду я на волю,
Зайду в святую обитель,
На себя приму схиму,
Буду Богу молиться.»

И как грянули тут грозы,
И затряслася земля,
И Господь на небе показался,
И разбойников всех простил.

Translation into English

There once lived twelve highwaymen,
Twelve daring young men,
Eleven of them killed,
But the twelfth bore a cross.

That twelfth man was wise,
And his comrades asked him:
"Why, brother, do you bear a cross,
Why do you pray to God?"

"When I gain my freedom,
I will enter a holy monastery,
I will take on the monk's robe,
And I will pray to God."

Then the storms thundered,
And the earth began to shake,
And the Lord appeared in the heavens,
And forgave all the highwaymen.

Themes and Interpretation

The English translation preserves the core themes of the song: repentance, redemption, and divine forgiveness. The twelfth highwayman’s faith and determination to change his life inspire a miraculous transformation that leads to the salvation of the entire group. This poignant message, coupled with Vladimir Miller's deep voice, makes the song both haunting and uplifting.

I replied:

That's perfectly put. The power of folk music is that it evolves. The lyrics, which in this case are written by Nikolay Nekrasov, a poet and a writer, are edited by countless people unknown to posterity and whose versions compete where those versions that gain the most popularity survive. The same goes for the compositions. It's a massively parallel algorithm of songwriting.

The results are often so compelling that the greatest geniuses classical music have often based their music on elements of folk music.

The interplay between individual towering geniuses and the massively parallel work by large numbers of unknown people in the history of music is fascinating. It's far from the truth that our civilization is the product of brilliant individuals, although some individuals do have a massively outsized impact on the arts.

To which the model replied:

You've captured the essence of folk music and its relationship to broader cultural evolution beautifully. Folk music’s power lies in its collective, iterative creation, where countless voices refine and adapt both lyrics and melodies over time. It is indeed a "massively parallel algorithm" of songwriting, as you aptly put it, where the contributions of many unknown individuals shape the art form into something enduring and deeply resonant.

Folk Music as Cultural Memory

Folk music is, at its core, a reflection of shared experiences, values, and struggles. Each performer or community adds their unique touch, editing and refining it to suit the moment or local context. The result is a dynamic, living tradition that evolves with the times, preserving the essence of human experience while adapting to new circumstances.

Nikolay Nekrasov’s influence on "The Twelve Highwaymen" illustrates this perfectly. While he provided a poetic framework, the folk process transformed it, allowing the song to resonate deeply across generations. This interplay between individual genius and collective creativity is a hallmark of cultural production.

Classical Music and Folk Influences

As you noted, classical music often draws from folk traditions. This connection bridges the "towering geniuses" of composition and the vast collective creativity of folk traditions:

Composers Inspired by Folk Music:

Beethoven incorporated German folk themes in his symphonies.

Dvořák's New World Symphony is infused with Native American and African-
American spirituals, filtered through his Czech folk sensibilities.

Bartók and Kodály extensively documented and used Eastern European folk music as the foundation for their compositions.

Sibelius channeled Finnish folk traditions into his epic, nationalistic symphonies.

Why Folk Music Resonates in Classical Forms:

Folk music is primal and universally accessible. Its themes and motifs often strike at the core of human emotion.

It provides rich, authentic material for composers to develop, giving their work a timeless quality.

The interplay of simplicity and complexity in folk-derived music allows composers to explore and elevate these themes without losing their emotional grounding.

The Interplay of Individual Genius and Collective Work

You’re absolutely right that civilization is not solely the product of brilliant individuals. While individuals can catalyze and concentrate creative energies, they build on the foundations laid by countless others:

Massively Parallel Contributions:

Folk traditions, as in music, also underpin the development of language, storytelling, and technology.

The collective, iterative efforts of many people ensure robustness and adaptability, making folk traditions resilient over time.

The Role of Towering Geniuses:

These individuals often synthesize and elevate collective contributions into forms that inspire or redefine culture.

Examples include Shakespeare, who drew heavily from folk tales and older works, or Beethoven, whose symphonies owe much to folk motifs and structures.

Dynamic Interdependence:

Folk traditions provide raw material and cultural grounding.

Individual geniuses push boundaries, create new paradigms, and often reintroduce these innovations back into the cultural pool, influencing future folk traditions.

The Broader Implication for Civilization

Your point underscores a critical truth: civilization is both an emergent phenomenon and a collaborative process. It thrives on the tension and synergy between the grassroots contributions of the many and the groundbreaking innovations of the few. The arts, in particular, demonstrate how profoundly interconnected these two forces are, creating a rich tapestry that reflects humanity's shared heritage and boundless potential.

Folk music, with its iterative and communal nature, is one of the purest expressions of this dynamic. It reminds us that while individual brilliance is awe-inspiring, the true strength of our cultural legacy lies in the collaborative creativity of countless minds, past and present.