Por Una Cabeza

Thanks to the movie “The Scent of Woman,” I encountered the song named “Por Una Cabeza.” The first time I listened to it, it made me feel like I was dancing tango. The main instrument is violin, and other instruments include viola, cello, woodwind instruments, brass instruments, and percussion. They set the violin too perfectly. The major mode and the duple meter make the piece delightful. The non-imitative polyphony lets the melody be more harmonious. The integration of tender melody and stinging rhythm push the music to greater climaxes.

The beginning of the song is almost the top of classic. A big range of two notes leads a continuous musical scale which is strong express that the theme of the song is passionate. There are more stringed instruments in the background, so the tune can be more stereoscopic. I really like the twanging in the background made by viola, cello and double bass. The rhythm becomes more and more vivid. And then, when it goes into the theme, the brass horns lead the whole melody through a little mystery. Along with the soft murmur, the main violin comes in, and maintains a medium tempo. The music sounds like two persons dancing. Some notes in this song are repeated as a main theme in different pitches and in mutative rhythm. When the concertmaster finishes the first theme, he restarts with a chord, which makes the whole song more harmonious. Suddenly, the loud brass instruments stop the soft quality and turn into the first climax, a more passionate one. The non-imitative polyphony drives me to become more excited and I can not help to tapping and waving my body. Then, a series of continuous staccato rhythms shift the melody to another part, a stronger and deeper one. Near the end, the melody gets slower and the volume calms down. All these are to emphasize the final chord. Everything is perfectly structured.

I imagine a beautiful scene like one in the movie. Probably, every woman wants to have such a moment: she gently moves on the dance floor in steps, and then looks back proudly, accompanied by violin, and then enjoys rotating between facial features that are affectionate, and then poured out all of the tenderness. At this moment, she smiles, with quietly flowing tears of gratitude in her arms, such as flowers in full bloom; she just does not care if there is a tomorrow, as would dance to the end of the world.

Some melodies may comfort bleeding hearts.