''Simpsons'' Composer Alf Clausen Let Go

*ZariusTwo* · 08-31-2017, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Two-time Emmy winner Alf Clausen has been fired from “The Simpsons” after 27 years of providing music for Bart, Lisa, and company.

Clausen told Variety that he received a call from “Simpsons” producer Richard Sakai that the company was seeking “a different kind of music” and that he would no longer be scoring the longtime Fox hit.

A Fox spokeswoman declined to comment.

Clausen, whose Emmy record includes two wins (1997 and ’9

and another 21 nominations for “The Simpsons” dating back to 1992, has scored more than 560 episodes of the series, starting early in the 1990-91 season. He is believed to be the most-nominated composer in Emmy history, with a total of 30 nominations overall.

He has also won five Annie Awards, all for his “Simpsons” music. His long tenure with the series has made him one of the most respected creators of animation music in TV history.

Clausen’s last complete score for the series was for the season finale of Season 28, which aired in May. The season premiere is slated for Oct. 1, but it is not yet clear who will be scoring that episode.

Speculation about Clausen’s dismissal involves cost-cutting measures, which have been ongoing at “The Simpsons” in recent years, despite its massive profits for Fox and executive producer James L. Brooks’ Gracie Films.

Clausen uses a 35-piece orchestra every week — something that “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening insisted upon from the start of the show. Including costs of musicians, recording studios, and orchestration, expenses routinely run into the millions of dollars per year. Danny Elfman’s “Simpsons” theme is expected to be retained.

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/simp...ed-1202543183/

*TheSkeletonMan939* · 08-31-2017, 06:31 AM

The importance of the orchestral score - something understood and touted by bigwigs like Spielberg as well as showrunners like Groening, Seth MacFarlane, and Bruce Timm - is totally lost on the money-wary producer. I can tell you with 99% certainty that they won't hire someone of Clausen's talent and caliber to score the series; hell, they probably won't hire someone with a knowledge of real composition at all. They'll either just grab some fool who can work synths well, or they'll hire a music editor to just recut music from the past 500 episodes. I suspect they'll go with the first option since I think reusing music from earlier would force Fox to pay royalties to all the musicians.

*BubblyShell22* · 08-31-2017, 07:58 AM

Such a shame to hear this as I really liked the music in the series. Not much one can do but I have a feeling whoever they get won't be as good as Alf Clausen was.

*DestronMirage22* · 08-31-2017, 10:03 AM

Such a shame.
The quality of the humor might've gone down in recent years, but the music was always good.
And now that one constant's gone.

Hopefully the new music will be decent.

Hamato Yoshi · 08-31-2017, 07:18 PM

Did they tell him to go to :

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Norway

08-31-2017, 07:58 AM	#3
BubblyShell22 Leo-holic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 16,912	Such a shame to hear this as I really liked the music in the series. Not much one can do but I have a feeling whoever they get won't be as good as Alf Clausen was. __________________ "A warrior who never fails, never learns."-The Ancient One. "Embrace your inner a**holiness."-Mr. Anderson.

08-31-2017, 10:03 AM	#4
DestronMirage22 Yukipedia Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 1,723	Such a shame. The quality of the humor might've gone down in recent years, but the music was always good. And now that one constant's gone. Hopefully the new music will be decent.

08-31-2017, 07:18 PM	#5
Hamato Yoshi Stone Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 950	Did they tell him to go to : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Norway