2:56
The crew also recorded the orchestra in a vintage way that would lead to more energy and spontaneity.
\"Sometimes a more modern technique is to record elements of the orchestra separately -- the strings, the brass, the winds, percussion -- it's called striping. We did not do that. We wanted that old-school feel. A ton of musicians in one room playing together,\" he said. \"When you put a bunch of people in a room making music together, they are feeding off each other. There's just a humanity to it that I think you miss when you multi-track.\"
Britell went a different way and actually got to experiment with new concepts taken from a type of music \"Moonlight\" director Barry Jenkins loves -- southern hip-hop.
\"Early on when I read the script, I had this feeling of the poetry,\" he said. \"It felt like a poem, so beautiful, tender, sensitive. I was trying to channel that idea. What is the musical sound of poetry? One of the first pieces I sent to Barry was this pieces I called 'Piano and Violin Poem.' I played it for Barry and he loved it, that actually is Little's theme [the main character in the film as a child].\"
\"From there, Barry told me of his love of chopped and screwed music, which is a genre of southern hip-hop,\" he said. \"You take tracks and slow them down. When you slow them down, the music goes down and you get this pitch that's deep and rich, it's fascinating. When you slow audio down, you stretch out the notes with the music, the tones change, I was really excited by that process of audio experimentation.\"
So, after writing and fully recording the music, the duo chopped and screwed Britell's original recordings.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/HT-moonlight-01-jef-170207_4x3t_384.jpg\")
\"There was this question of how do you maintain a cohesion across the chapters, it's Little, then it's Chiron, then Black. They are the same person, just at different moments in his life. ... Chiron's theme is Little's theme but pitched down, a bit deeper, I literally took the recording of Little's theme in chapter 1 and bent it down,\" he said.
This continued for chapter 3, with the adult Chiron that now went by the nickname Black.
\"The same musical idea is present, but with Black, you hear it when Kevin and Black are going home at the end. I scored it for an ensemble of cellos, recorded the cellos in the key of D major ... then I chopped and screwed it. It's pitched down. It's actually a sound cellos can't play,\" Britell explained. \"Barry likes to say there's this extra kind of rumble, that you normally don't hear cause instruments cant play in the range.\"
Things get even more interesting and unique for Britell in his next project. He just finished scoring \"Battle of the Sexes,\" a retelling of the 1973 tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, starring Steve Carell and Emma Stone.
Unlike \"Moonlight,\" he used a full orchestra, 79 band members in total.
\"There's no obvious answers when approaching a film. I'm newly amazed at the rang of possibilities to explore each time,\" he said. \"You wonder, you really think about possibilities, you try things out. It's a journey. ... Maybe it's discovering there's a scene that should have music at all. In 'Moonlight,' there are a lot of places where we kept it silent, where the world are the characters ... silence. That's the score.\"
For Hurwitz, he is set to score Chazelle's next film, \"First Man,\" starring Gosling again, about the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong.
\"But he doesn't know when he's shooting that,\" he said. \"He's figuring that out. Looks like it's not gonna shoot until the fall. I haven't worked with any other directors yet and I'm open to it, but I'm very cautious about it. It would have to be a very special, a situation that felt right and I'm not sure that situation will necessarily come along.\"
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/osacar-nominated-scores-moonlight-la-la-land/story?id=45545549","legacySlug":"/culture/story/osacar-nominated-scores-moonlight-la-la-land-45545549","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"08:13","publishDate":"02-20-2017","updatedTime":"14:02","updatedDate":"02-20-2017","socialImage":{"alt":"(L-R) Mahershala Ali and Alex R Hibbert in a scene from \"Moonlight\" and Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in a scene from \"La La Land.\" ","credit":"Plan B Entertainment | Dale Robinette/Lionsgate via AP","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/AP-HT-moonlight-la-la-land-split-jt-170217_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"2/20/2017 08:13:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":45545549,"headline":"Inside the scores for 'Moonlight' and 'La La Land'","mediaAssetTitle":"rothman_composer_oscars2017_170216","description":"Justin Hurwitz and Nicholas Britell takes us inside their mysterious craft.","duration":"2:56","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/03/170323_vod_bh_oscars_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132488083","132306053","132266872"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 29, 2026","headline":"Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","section":"News","slug":"/video/132488083","id":"132488083","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Inside the scores for 'Moonlight' and 'La La Land'","description":"Justin Hurwitz and Nicholas Britell takes us inside their mysterious craft.","duration":"2:56","uploadDate":"02-20-2017","publication":"02-20-2017","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/03/170323_vod_bh_oscars_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/03/170323_vod_bh_oscars_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/osacar-nominated-scores-moonlight-la-la-land-45545549"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132569874","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132567885","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132510121","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132473181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132497933","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Inside the scores for 'Moonlight' and 'La La Land'","pubTime":"03:13","pubDate":"02-20-2017","modTime":"09:02","modDate":"02-20-2017","taxonomyTags":"none","id":45545549,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Inside the scores for 'Moonlight' and 'La La Land'","mediaAssetTitle":"rothman_composer_oscars2017_170216","videoId":45545549,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/osacar-nominated-scores-moonlight-la-la-land-45545549"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/45545549","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/45545549","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};