# I.D. this piece of music-The Simpsons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949 "2003-04-06T23:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sonicsink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@sonicsink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonicsink)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/1 "2003-04-06T23:45:03Z")
Hi everyone, Im not too good with episode #'s or titles,but it’s the episode where Marge protests Itchy & Scratchy,Blah blah…,the cartoon becomes to sweet and the kids in the neighbourhood turn off the TV and begin to actually go outside to play.Now, what is the piece of music that they play as the camera pans around the neighbourhood and shows all the kids playing? Also is this a parody of a movie scene?It sounds/looks vaguely familiar…Actually while I’m on the topic of the Simpsons,In the episode where the family joins a cult,the scene where Marge runs away in the middle of the night and she has to go through all these obstacles,whats the deal with that big bubble that follows her and then lands on hans moleman? What is this parody-ing? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/2 "2003-04-06T23:48:47Z")
Well, I don’t want to get out my DVD of season one and listen to it, but on the commentary they say what it is. I believe it is Beethoven’s _Fourth Symphony_. The bubble thing is from _The Prisoner_. I’ve never seen it, but it’s been used several times on the _Simpsons_, including pretty much a whole episode where Homer is captured because he was making stuff up for his blog and turned out to actually be right. They had whoever the actor was who I believe played Number Six on the series guest voice. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/3 "2003-04-07T00:40:57Z")
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the episode, granted, but are you sure it’s Beethoven? I thought I remembered it as Vivaldi’s _Spring_. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/4 "2003-04-07T00:58:23Z")
Actually, it’s the First Mvt. of Beethoven’s 6th Symphany, Opus 68 (AKA the Pastoral Symphany). ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/5 "2003-04-07T03:32:58Z")
I knew it was Beethoven. Just went with the wrong one. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/6 "2003-04-07T04:22:56Z")
The bubble thing is a _Prisoner_ refence. On the show, it was a “sentinel,” used to maintain order and capture/engulf/kill people who were unruly or tried to escape. And I second Beethoven’s 6th, the _Pastoral_. See “Fantasia” or “Soylent Green” for other movies that feature it. Or, the [Classical MIDI Connection](http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/ludwig.html) ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/7 "2003-04-07T07:57:53Z")
The bubble in “The Prisoner” was named ‘Rover.’ And, yes indeed, the music in The Simpsons is the opening movement of _The Pastoral_, Beethoven’s Sixth. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/8 "2003-04-07T13:26:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Also is this a parody of a movie scene?It sounds/looks vaguely familiar… This is a reference to **Fantasia** , with the synchronous play activities mirroring the frolicing of centaurs, sprites, etc. in the Disney film, also to Beethoven’s 6th. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/9 "2003-04-07T17:00:22Z")
😕 Granted it’s been a while, but I remember it as “Morning Mood” from Grieg’s _Peer Gynt Suite._ ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-d-this-piece-of-music-the-simpsons/166949/10 "2003-04-07T18:03:02Z")
Definitely Beethoven’s 6th, although I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that they used the Grieg in another episode.