The “La Bola Negra” soundtrack, featuring music by composer Raül Refree, will be released on October 16 by Lakeshore Records.
Taking its name from an unfinished play by Lorca and drawing on his writings and legacy, “La Bola Negra” is directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, better known as Los Javis. Starring Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. It spans three generations and key moments in Spanish history. In 1932, Carlos (Quifes) longs to belong to a fragmented Spain. In 1937, Sebastián (Guitarricadelafuente) finds contact beyond enemy lines. And in 2017, Alberto (González) uncovers a long-buried family secret that speaks to truths that the past tried to erase.
When composing the score for Netflix’s “La Bola Negra,” Refree knew he wanted to pursue a timeless, orchestral and avant-garde sound.
It’s an intense soundtrack that grows with the film and as the stories of the different heroes progress.
Refree, one of Variety’s 10 artisans to watch, ties his instrumentation to characters rather than eras. “Sebastián (Guitarricadelafuente) plays the trumpet, so his scenes rely heavily on the wind section. Carlos (Milo Quifes) plays the piano, so his music includes the piano as well as the string section. Finally, Alberto (González)’s story is set in the present day, and his music relies more on silence as he is going through a personal crisis,” says Refree.
As the film progresses and the paths of the three heroes intersect in one way or another, the tones and instrumental approach begin to blend together. “Mira que nos acechan” is the place where all concepts come together, meaning that we are all one.
Listen to the first of two clues from the film’s soundtrack; Diversityunder.
“Dawn Begins in Spain”
This scene begins suddenly with a sharp cut, marking a pivotal moment towards the end of the film. “I wanted the music to have a powerful impact, with the wind instruments playing extremely loud and in sharply cut clusters that would intensify the shock of this unexpected turn of events,” says Refree.
A scene where prisoners are forced out of their rooms, taken to their cells, and then executed. “I imagined this procession of terrified prisoners and violent soldiers through a rhythmic pattern played by strings – loud, aggressive pizzicatos. I thought the wooden creaking quality of the strings created a sense of discomfort, as if the music itself was expressing the fear the prisoners felt as they were led to their deaths. I also used electronic sounds, almost like a distorted form of tinnitus, to convey the disorientation the prisoners experienced after being suddenly woken up.”
The final melody is a minuet that Sebastián plays on trumpet earlier in the film. “It’s a childlike piece that, for me, becomes the central theme of the film; it’s a reflection of the fear and vulnerability of the film’s characters,” says Refree.
“Nursing”
“This was one of the first pieces I composed for the film, and it remains one of my favorites. This is the scene where Sebastián first sees Rafael. It begins with a relaxed, beautiful musical landscape driven by horns, evoking a sense of daylight and daily life in a wartime military hospital. Staccato trumpets add a touch of understated, almost ordinary heroism, as if evoking the mundane routines of soldiers living under extraordinary conditions.”
However, as the scene progresses, the music begins to drain away and is replaced by darker, lower melodic textures. “The bass trombone gradually takes the lead, and the intensity increases as Sebastián becomes more and more overwhelmed by the sight of this beautiful, scarred body,” he says. “Musically, everything gets wilder and more dissonant, reflecting his inability to control what he’s feeling. His attention shifts to intimate details – his bare armpit, the small dimple at the base of Rafael’s neck – and the music follows him into this increasingly specific, almost obsessive fascination. What begins as a beautiful, peaceful morning at the front gradually turns into an intense, almost hidden intimate desire over which Sebastián has no control.”
After opening in New York City and Los Angeles on October 16, the film will be released in additional theaters in the United States and Canada. Select theaters will present the film in 35mm. “La Bola Negra” will premiere on Netflix in the United States and Canada on December 2.