Music Score for "La Bola Negra" Features New Work by Composer Raúl Refree

The score for "La Bola Negra," composed by Raúl Refree, is set to be released on October 16 by Lakeshore Records. "La Bola Negra," which takes its name from Lorca's unfinished play and draws on his writings and legacy, is directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known as Los Javis. The star […]

The soundtrack to "La Bola Negra," composed by Raul Refrey, is set to be released on October 16 by Lakeshore Records.

Taking its name from Lorca's unfinished play and his writings and legacy, "La Bola Negra" is directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrosi aka Los Javis. Actors such as Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. It spans three generations and important moments in Spanish history. In 1932, Carlos (Coifs) dreams of belonging to a broken Spain. In 1937, Sebastian (Guitarricadelafuente) became involved in enemy lines. And in 2017, Alberto (Gonzalez) uncovers a long-standing family secret that gives voice to truths the past has tried to erase. RELATED STORIES "Sense and Sensibility" and "Hemant" Bricott Bodhi Rae Breathnach Signs with UTA (Exclusive) UTA and Golden House Collection Partnership to Build Asia-Hollywood Bridge (Exclusive)

When composing Netflix's La Bola Negra, Refry knew he wanted to pursue a timeless, orchestral, avant-garde sound. Popular in Variety

It's an intense franchise that grows with the film and with the various characters in their stories.

Referee, one of Variety's 10 Entrepreneurs to Watch, tied his instrument to personalities rather than eras. Sebastian (Guitarricadelafuente) plays trumpet, so his scenes rely heavily on the brass section. "Carlos (Milo Koifs) plays the piano, so his music has a piano. Besides the string part, at the end, Alberto's (Gonzalez) story takes place in the present day, and because he's going through a personal crisis, his music relies a lot more on silence."

As the film progresses and the paths of the three protagonists intersect, the timbres and instrumental approach begin to blend. "Mira que nos acechan" is where all concepts come together and have the concept that we are all one.

Listen to the first of two previews of the film's soundtrack, exclusive to Variety, below.

The scene begins abruptly with a hard cut and marks a fateful moment at the end of the film. "I wanted the music to have a strong impact, a brass section that plays very loudly, and in choppy clusters that heighten the shock of this unexpected turn of events," says Refrey. This is a scene where prisoners are forced out of their cells, taken to their cells, and later executed. I imagined this procession of frightened prisoners and violent soldiers through a rhythmic pattern played by the strings - loud and aggressive pizzicatos. I thought the screeching of the strings would create a sense of unease, almost as if the music itself was voicing the prisoners' fear as they were driven to their deaths. At the same time, I used electronic sounds, almost like a distorted form of tinnitus, to convey the dizziness that prisoners experience after suddenly waking up. The final melody is a minuet that Sebastian plays on the trumpet early in the film. "It's a children's piece that for me becomes the main theme of the music – a reflection of the fear and fragility of the characters in the film," Refrey says.

It was one of the first pieces I made for film, and it's still one of my favorites. This is the scene where Sebastian sees Raphael for the first time. It begins with a beautiful soft music scene led by horns, which evokes the everyday life and daylight in a wartime military hospital. The staccato trumpets below the usual trumpet heroes add an almost sensual touch. "The routine of soldiers who live in extraordinary conditions."

However, as the scene unfolds, the music begins to empty out, giving way to darker, lower melodic textures. "The bass trombone gradually comes to the fore," he says, "and the intensity increases as Sebastian sinks at the sight of this beautiful, scarred body." Musically, things become wilder and more dissonant, reflecting his inability to control his emotions. His attention is drawn to intimate details—a bare armpit, the small hole at the base of Raphael's neck—and his music follows him into this private, almost obsessive fascination. What starts out as a nice and relaxing desire on the front gradually turns into a romantic and relaxing desire on the front. "Sebastian has no control."

The film opens in New York City and Los Angeles on October 16 before expanding to other theaters across the United States and Canada. Select theaters will offer it in 35mm. "La Bola Negra" will premiere on Netflix in the US and Canada on December 2.