"Por Una Cabeza" version played in Schindler's Lis

[bobo19_2001 0]

Hey there. I need your help (that is, from any John Williams fan out there). I'm looking for the "Por Una Cabeza" (the tango played at the beginning of Schindler's List) on CD, but not the version available on the Scent of a Woman soundtrack. That's the same as the one played in True Lies, I believe, but the version played in Schindler's List sounds totally different . . . that is, it's much, much better! Did John Williams do the arrangement on that one himself? Is that why it's so hauntingly good? Anyway, does anyone know who arranged it and whether it's available on CD? God, I think I've watched that bar scene in Schindler's List like fifty times already, just to listen to this version of "Por Una Cabeza" over and over again!!! Thanks in advance for any input.

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

Well, I haven't heard it that closely to say that the one from True Lies and Schindler's List are the same or different, but again, I don't know, in Schindler's List you could see a group playing the music, and in True Lies you don't (I haven't seen Scent of a Woman). Also, in True Lies the "Blue Danube" waltz is from a Eugene Ormandy recording, if I'm not mistaken.

[Trumpeteer 302]

I've kind of noticed that the performance in "Schindler's" is a little different. Maybe it's performed by the Boston Symphony exclusively for the film.

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

[Miguel Andrade 1,266]

Williams did arranged this piece for violin and orchestra, for his Cinema Serenade album... I always noticed the conection of this -- the fact this tango was used in Schindler's List -- but never took the time to check if it was the same version. Might have been, as from what I've read, there were plans to do this album with Perlman already in 1993, so some of the arrangements were probably already done at the time.