“For Lee [Affleck], except for the things that are happening in real time, everything exists in his mind all the time,” Barber said. “So, for flashbacks, I didn’t have to define how far back or how recent. It was just all with him, all the time. There is something in the phrasing of the vocal music that it could go on infinitely, but you wouldn’t be aware of the repetition. So I wanted the music to thematically carry itself along the way he’s carrying so much inside him.”
Indie Wire – ‘Manchester By the Sea’: How Kenneth Lonergan & Crew Made a Non-Linear Masterpiece
Manchester By the Sea Chorale was written and performed by Lesley Barber for Kenneth Lonergan’s Oscar winning film Manchester by the Sea which featured here at ‘Friday’s Finest‘ on Sept 1, 2023. The segments below were taken from Reference 2:
Lesley Barber worked with the orchestra to create a sound that emoted the sound of the ocean with “underlying tension” with lightness, for exterior scenes. Early in the scoring process, Barber took inspiration from New England church music from the 1700s, including Calvinist hymns and other music of the Pilgrims and Colonial era, with its emphasis on a cappella vocals. Barber developed the music to complement her understanding of the essence of the film’s scenes based on emails and conversations with Lonergan.
To score scenes that reflect Lee’s “interior landscape”, she (Lesley Barber) sent the music to her daughter Jacoba Barber-Rozema, an opera major, then recorded her singing in her dorm room via Skype. Barber said the confined space made for a “perfect sound“…. Caitlin Warren of Spindle Magazine said the score adds perfectly “to the raw emotion of the film without ever overwhelming it to the point of feeling contrived or cheesy.”
Reference:
1. Manchester By the Sea – IndieWire
2. Manchester by the Sea – Wikipedia
3. Manchester by the Sea – Observation Blogger
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Great film though very sad
It took me a few viewings to appreciate its greatness and find the veiled humour in the conversations especially between Lee and his nephew. Also, the soundtrack including today’s piece had a bigger impact each time. Thanks Sheree.
You’re very welcome. It was such a well acted movie.
The song is so very peaceful. I really like it.
Wonderful. Have you seen Manchester by the Sea, Tom?
I have never saw it. I believe I will be watching soon. Sometimes sad movies get me. Is it really sad Matt?
I think my recent movie review of ‘Manchester.., answers that question, Tom. If interested, watch the video excerpt at the bottom of the review. It doesn’t give anything away as far as the plot.
It’s just that I don’t watch many sad movies Matt. I don’t enjoy them much. Used to as a younger man.
I understand. That’s like me and most horror movies made today.
Lol I like that. I find myself only viewing cheerful uplifting movies. I do like a tear jerker sometimes though..