About the Soundtrack: La Virgen Negra, a film tabbed as a "magic realism/comedy," which is perhaps a description that is slightly lost in translation. Elik Alvarez, a composer who is Venezuelan himself, scored the movie and brought in a respectable talent base in doing so. Lisbeth Scott (featured in Munich, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Passion of Christ) and virtuoso Venezuelan cuatro player, Rafael “El Pollo” Brito, were both integral parts of the production.
What You Need to Know: La Virgen Negra is yet another example of how wonderful it is to be a fan of film music. After all, there aren't many hobbies that offer such a global reach and such high quality options.
Alvarez' work for La Virgen Negra is fused with a blend of spirit and keen fundamentals. There is a liveliness to his work that immediately casts an energetic vibe to the listener while also conveying a balanced, dramatic underscore behind it. I immediately took a liking to the cultural tones of the latin music and was equally impressed by how enveloping the orchestral and choral segments were.
Overall, the music Alvarez composed is impressive and it's easy to see how efficiently this one was scored for picture. The chief complaint about this score is that it's a little on the lean side as far as the running time goes. I would have liked another 15 to 20 minutes of his work, preferably to expand on some of the more dramatic themes that were being developed. But, that aside, this is a rather enjoyable score and is an effort that would be worth looking into.
Final Score: Elik Alvarez seems to be a composer who can meld a complete package of diverse thematic goals into a clearly stated score. This is a soundtrack that showcases such a balance and also offers a good bit of entertainment while doing so. Check it out if the opportunity permits!
