Van Der Valk Intro

[@pljms]

Back in the days when TV themes could could be No.1 hit records.

[@tonywilliams8426]

Paul...he did 'Danger UXB' in 1978 too!

[@captpicard6894]

Remember being at school and the prettiest girl in my year at school learnt to play this on the recorder. She was playing this in the playground on a lovely warm and sunny summers day. I ended up marrying her, she died 4 years ago from Cancer. I still miss her even today.

[@markmadad1]

Captpicard Sad story sorry to hear.

[@lyndadale6255]

Captpicard I was just here reminding myself of the theme tune I'm so sorry to hear about your wife. You have painted a beautiful picture I hope you are comforted by beautiful memories. 🦋

[@countteddy]

oh my god that's so sad. bless you. take care.

[@bellcstu]

Bless you pal

[@ScoobyandShaggy5554]

I’m so sorry, may God bless you

[@mikjon67]

Holy cow! That just brought a shiver down my spine! Haven't heard this music for more than 27 years!

[@ronaldpainting5614]

I drove a truck all over Europe for eight years,sweden to Portugal. The best weekends i had were in Amsterdam. I used to deliver to a company in Weesp. Amsterdam centraal was the second stop. Ive stayed in Amsterdam on a Thursday night in the truck,got home and back on Saturday from Manchester airport. The theme from Van der Valk in my head all the time. A brilliant piece of composing that was spot on for thr series. The other thing are the Hollanders,what a fantastic race, and a great sense of humour. A few years ago Jack Tromby the composer of the theme appeared on Bargain Hunt from Oswestry showground. The theme is on my favorite playlist.

[@tub19]

70s to me, had the catchy theme tunes going, compared today

[@jaylyn7285]

This is the best theme tune of all time. Loved watching this in the 70's.

[@Michael54635]

Pure class both the Music and Barry Foster, the actor who played Van Der Valk, wonderful memories

[@carolineg1872]

This actor also was in Hitchcock "Frenzy", watch it, it's a great film set in London. Actually filmed in some parts where I used to live.

[@Useaname]

Caroline Greenman great movie.

[@marctremblay8087]

Brilliant theme tune ,brilliant TV series

[@shakespeare_hall4788]

Everything was brilliant back in the 70's Life sucks now

[@NewZman23]

A beautiful story and your beloved wife will be with you every time you hear this melody- that is the wonder of music. Stay strong brother

[@Roseburg93]

I loved this theme and series as a child and have loved Holland and the Dutch ever since. Even though all the actors were English !

[@patrickglennon6834]

Same, remarkable country

[@mumstheword8851]

Nostalgic 70s. Wonderful piece of music!! Been going round my brain. Had to look it up. Didn't really remember it was a theme from TV. Must have been past my bedtime 😁 I only remember it being nr 1 and (not to blow my own trumpet 😬) I can still 'sing/hum/whistle' it completely. Amazing!

[@ah1701]

aaaaaaaaaah.......so many memories watching this on TV as a kid....circa late 1970´s. You have to admit - this HAS to be one of the most memorable theme tunes of ANY TV program - ever!! I remember like it was yesterday. In fact, they even used to play in my junior school when the classes were leaving the main hall after morning assembly. Absolutely brilliant!!

[@muff-puff.]

Oh my Word, this is taking me back to the 1970s where the WOMEN dressed 👗 like women and no TATTOOS. Glorious Decade the 70s! I was soon to take my Finals before joining the NHS . THANKS for sharing 👍 😊 🇬🇧

[@angelacooper2661]

I was born in 1970 and obviously don't remember Van Der Valk until a decade later, when at senior school I learnt the Eye Level tune. Key of Eb major- I have perfect pitch and a very good memory for tunes!

[@senorkaboom]

First time I heard this song it was on my birthday in December, 1973. I thought it was a new Christmas song and I was hooked on it from the start. I have, of course, learned that it is to a TV show out of England, and I enjoy the song now as I did then.

[@Jayke1981]

I went to Amsterdam in the early 90s with my parents and it was because of this show that I recognised places - and hummed the hell out of that theme tune!

[@michellearmstrong7903]

Amsterdam full of dodgy people

[@_misterben]

@James Donnelly I know what you mean! Invariably found myself whistling the Gerry Rafferty tune on trips taking me through the nexus that is Baker Street Underground Station.

[@keithrich8373]

No doubt best 70s theme ever.Have all seasons on dvd.Always be up there with classic tv

[@heatherwhitworth9765]

OMG this brings back so many memories. Happy memories . And Barry Foster was hot .💛

[@khunpeter1000]

Dieser Soundtrack steckt mir seit mindesten 30 Jahren in den Ohren. Ich bin froh, über KZbin ein "Wiederhören" erleben zu können.

[@tsj663]

Remembering Amsterdam in the old days with the tram back then

[@henkoosterink8744]

Theme by Dutch composer Jan Stoeckart (aka Bromley or Julius Steffaro), It is based on an old Dutch song. Stoeckart also wrote famous Theme of Floris. Director Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct) and Rutger Hauer (Blade runner) started their career with Floris.

[@juliablackmore6952]

Went on a holiday to Amsterdam back in the l970's with my wife Jean. Nice place and nice people. Enjoyed the trams on the streets and there were a lot of people on bikes. Went into the Diamond museum but being a working drummer did not come out with anything! From Keith Jones retired pro drummer, Cornwall.

[@Mokum1961]

There are 1000 x more bikes now!

[@mortengammelmarknielsen6378]

Remind me of my child hook when i was 15 years old, and my dad wants a ford taunus, or in the UK a ford cortina like the one van der valk was driven in, yes that was then

[@jacksugden8190]

Think he drove a Mk3 Ford Cortina

[@BikerBabeDK]

I was humming a tune today, and I couldn't place it. It wasn't until this early evening that I realized that it was the theme song to Van der Valk, so here i am. 😊 I haven't heard this theme since I was a kid, so it was amazing that it suddenly popped up today. 😊❤❤❤

[@johnnorris1964]

Wow - exactly my story too.

[@angelacooper2661]

It's in the key of Eb major (I am an amateur string player in an orchestra and possess perfect pitch!)

[@Lwyse96]

Eye Level was a big hit in Ireland as well as in Britain. It reached #3 in Ireland in October 1973.

[@digitalbroadcaster]

A million cheers for those who post these golden nuggets and for KZbin for having storage space to hold all of my childhood memories! Flashbacks. Priceless!

[@YIASEMIDE]

Second Unit Aerials Well said.

[@philipgolding3672]

This the most beautiful piece of music I 've ever heard!!!

[@davidhope2506]

Tremendous music and opening titles.

[@TheWuschelMUC]

+David Hope ...allegedly by Mozart, "The Marriage of Figaro."

[@andydavis7254]

It was called Eye Level by the Simon Park orchestra

[@jacksugden8190]

By Jan Stoeckart 1927 - 2017) a Dutch composer under the name Jack Trombey, it was from a DeWolf library disk, Simon Park had nothing to do with the original version, his band took the credits for the commercial release and on TOTP.

[@ramamonato5039]

Amsterdam in 1970s looks beautiful in my eyes. And this music really represents the city's beauty and wealth...although it was not made by any Dutch people.

[@oleggorky906]

Did you ever watch Puppet on a Chain? There’s a memorable speedboat chase through the canals in Amsterdam.

[@bumble1612]

Takes me back to the happiest days of my life. Christ, the theme tunes were all worth a listen never mind the great shows themselves. How poor TV programming has become nowadays, polluted by low brow, circus like reality shows. Keeps the baying hordes distracted whilst society is falling apart. Bread and circuses right enough.

[@Michele640]

I do remember this theme song, this mystery serial was also broadcasted in my Italy in the late 70es.

[@Pizzpott]

Oh my mother, bless her heart, absolutely loved this show. I wish I could have recorded or bought them all for her. She died two years aagain and was always wanting to see them again.

[@_misterben]

@Jeff Davies Along with a number of 1950s, 60s and 70s shows, VdV is periodically repeated on Talking Pictures TV, a UK Freeview channel. Not all regions seem to receive it. I imagine it must be a comfort for people of a certain age to be able to relive the glory days of two or three national channels - and maybe to fondly remember time spent with departed friends and family, huddled together around the box as we used to do before giant screens, tellies in every room and on-demand streaming.

[@mikeclifford7525]

[@williamweir322]

Loved that programme

[@EddieUKNL]

Just bought the Full set series 1-5 on DVD I love amsterdam and would like to live there again in the future. The police station where he was based in the early series is now a coffeeshop

[@marktopliss2550]

Beautiful tune love it my childhood memory 👍💯👌🇬🇧🌈

[@petclark1]

This was a big hit here in Canada...both the show AND the theme song...so much so that KLM airlines used as the music in their commercials as it was so strongly associated with The Netherlands.

[@jarfath75]

The catchiest intro theme EVER!!!

[@c.williams99]

The opening credits song from Van Der Valk use the elements of timbre, dynamics and articulation to effectively portray both the picturesque nature of Amsterdam and the themes of "drugs, sex and murder". The melody is introduced to the audience with the use of high woodwind instruments backed by the low brass playing softly behind them. The lively and light melody is representative of the setting of Amsterdam, a very lively and beautiful city. The low brass is also used to represent the darker parts of the beautiful city, the themes of criminal activities rampant throughout the show. This low brass builds throughout the piece before, in the final section, it carries the melody to a finish on the dominant of the scale at 1:09. The transition from the high woodwinds at the beginning through the upper brass at 0:33 then to the low brass at 0:54 reflect the disparity between the picturesque setting of Amsterdam and the criminal lowlife of the city. This contrast between the setting and the events is also accentuated by use of dynamics, timre and articulation that progressively get harsher throughout the piece. The piece begins at a mf dynamic in the woodwind section. This gradually crescendos over time as the upper brass and eventually the lower brass come in and carry the melody. These instruments while having harsher accented, detached articulation sounds are also played in much more aggressive manners with louder dynamics and move aggressive tonguing used to accentuate this. This is backed by the percussion which uses a timpani to bring out these darker lower notes towards the end but only uses bells at the start. The combined and seamless use of timbre, dynamics and articulation in opening credits adeptly portray the beautiful and serene setting of Amsterdam and the darker, criminal themes of Van Der Valk.

[@shakespeare_hall4788]

Thank you for that explanation and I'm sure your right but personally I love this tune for its sheer perfection and beautiful melody that lifts the spirits and echoes back to the time of my youth when we were much freer and everyone had hope of a brighter future These days I'm wishing I had lived a fast and short life as I have now discovered that the 21st century wasn't worth waiting for!

[@_misterben]

@C.Williams Fit Elements of the original tune have been echoed in the theme for the recent remake starring Marc Warren.

[@keithrich8373]

I don't think TV themes can get any better than this.Instant memories back to simpler times❤❤

[@skjoldborg]

Quite possibly the best music ever written. I heard it a few times in the early 70s and recently again and it seems to be hardwired in my head. Billions of years from now as the cosmos collapses into one singularity these notes will surely still be detectable as a faint background echo.

[@magicmulder]

Fun fact: This tune is the cosmic background radiation.

[@malcolmabram2957]

It is called 'Eye level' by the Simon Park Orchestra and got to No. 1 in the British charts.

[@arthurvasey]

Crown Court fans will recognise the B-side of that record - Distant Hills - the tune that plays over the closing titles!

[@magicmulder]

Composed by Jan Stoeckart from the Netherlands. Not for the series even.

[@terrybaby6146]

I'm Australian, and I visited Amsterdam the first time largely because of this show and its opening sequence.

[@nicolavallely8076]

I love Barry foster as van der valk, I play my tambourine to the theme music,while in Amsterdam I saw the bridge and I cried because I was in van der valk country

[@catherineeagleson1977]

I've always thought Barry Foster looks like John Thaw, which was quite confusing when he turned up as a guest star on Inspector Morse one time.

[@David.L291]

really? I didn't even think they even looked any similar, I would actually say more like John Pertwee

[@andydavis7254]

Barry Foster was actually in the Sweeney spin off movie.

[@Loverboy19691]

@@David.L291 I agree, I think the same, the are very similar .

[@jacksugden8190]

Except Thaw had a temperament problem.

[@xr6lad]

I thought he looked like Jon Pertwee/Dr Who...

[@Hensepens64]

Even as young Dutch teenager this impressed me. Still when I hear this theme .. going back memory lane. A British tv-series , with British actors, playing in "my" Amsterdam...

[@judithvandijkhuizen8331]

Why do I know this tune so well? We never had a TV or listened to this sort of thing, yet it's really familiar. I like it.

[@priestland1]

Played this on the violin in the Junior School Orchestra in 1972, absolutely love it.

[@bolshevikproductions]

Brilliant. Theme. Brilliant Barry Foster

[@heatherwhitworth9765]

Brilliant then , Brilliant now .70,s rocked.

[@JTrost1234]

KLM commercials brought me here. I can't get that tune out of my head. From the 1970's.

[@locorojo25]

makes me want 2 go 2 amsterdam. and back 2 the 70s lol

[@tiberfoaming4191]

Amsterdam was magic in the 70s and 80s. My favourite European city then. Such a pity it's gone down the tubes.

[@AntonHu]

@@tiberfoaming4191 'Down the tubes' - like so many other cities. Zoos nowadays.

[@Sunflowers159]

That was one of my favourites back in my - increasingly - dim and distant youth!

[@thoughtpower3251]

A wonderful orchestration!

[@originaluddite]

Is this the cheerful intro to a travelogue program? Oh, no, it's a gritty murder mystery, but this tune from a music library became it's theme and we love it anyway.

[@joeoconnor5400]

I have always thought if Barry Foster had been born the same time as John Thaw, he would have made a good Inspector Morse.

[@MissDaisy343]

Me too

[@OverheardProductions]

Brilliant. I was just talking about this show to my (part-Dutch) daughter and 20 secs later had the opening credits to show her.

[@barnsley1066]

I so love this tune and program too.

[@JohnAarghSvensson]

I'm 36 years old. The opening song is incredibly catchy, I agree with the people's opinions before me. brilliant.a never seen the series which is a pity

[@alunchurcher7060]

I think everyone I knew back in the day watched Van Der Valk it was the best thing broadcast her in the UK.

[@tonykemp3432]

When is that time machine getting built ,iam going to jump right init quick time.

[@albertmccready478]

I'm laughing at that comment Jonathan! Excellent, However a great tune, absolute classic that reminds me of Amsterdam everytime I hear it. One of the worlds great cities. Love it.

[@radiateur93]

merci pour ce post, super van der valk, diffusion en france en 1976!!! serie culte et helas jamais rediffusée en france :(

[@Mason58654]

Wish I had known this glorious tune when I was trekking through Amsterdam.

[@YIASEMIDE]

Mason Buskirk You'll just have to go back then.

[@Mason58654]

Yiasemide I’ll be humming it when I see Huis Ten Bosch in Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan.

[@gerrygorman273]

Loved this 👌💚

[@droogiewoogie9115]

One of those tv shows from your childhood where you remember the brilliant theme tune but can't for the life of you remember one episode plot. I always thought Barry Foster looked like a much shorter Michael Caine

[@nufto]

don't care what anyone says van der valk rocks!

[@garyowens1517]

When ITV had drama on at 9 on week nights. Not the crap they show now

[@EddieUKNL]

@notsodutch The Van der Valk Dvd box set is out now. It has all the episodes including the last ones in the 90s A quick search on amazon has it for under £20

[@YIASEMIDE]

EddieUKNL I'm there.

[@sarahsparrow3246]

bought mine today 11 discs, Buts its now £44. new. I dont mind though, spent all my excursions in Holland From Eastbourne Pier head in the 70's using my one year valid British Visitors passport that cost around £6. I miss those days :

[@msquaretheoriginal]

Since the show was virtually unknown in the US (PBS stations did show it, though), KLM used the tune in its commercials. The tagline was, "Come, have an Amsterdam good time!"

[@debbiestickles6116]

Takes me back, happy days

[@johnarcher7582]

That's one of my favourite theme tunes and my favourite tv show of the seventies the up to date version of van der Falk it's no where near like the original series and they changed the theme music to it.

[@Banner1979]

I've got the entire series and started watching the 1977-filmed episodes. So far, they've been very good with the standout being Enemy where VDV becomes the target of a revenge campaign (this one).

[@bobacrey1068]

With Bishop Brennan

[@markmadad1]

I remember watching this when I was about 10. I was intrigued because he had a Ford Cortina with two doors!

[@rarebutgreat]

They dont write theme music as powerful as this anymore

[@richardwilson6976]

Ive been to Amsterdam its alovely city.

[@KennethBarr1957]

This theme was used for KLM commercials on TV in 1970s and was very popular.

[@JTrost1234]

That's what brought me here.

[@MKIVWWI]

Once you've seen Alfred Hitchcock's "Frenzy" it's hard to get that image of Barry Forster out of your head! Still, he did a good job in this and in 1969's "The Battle of Britain".

[@stingray4real]

He did brilliantly in Robbery based on the Great Train Robbery.

[@clemdane]

Oh my God yes! I haven't seen Van Der Valk yet - was just reading about the remake and stumbled on this clip, so I wasn't sure who Foster was. Now that I see him up close I realize he was that unbelievably creepy killer from Frenzy. It will be very hard to get that out of my head and see him as another character.

[@_misterben]

Lovely!!

[@Elitist20]

"'Silence' in Polish!!!" 😀

[@stephenpowell5912]

Love this ❤️

[@peterherzogvonkempenich-jo6624]

War in den 70ern meine Lieblingskrimiserie

[@RoyKnable]

Seeing this makes me really want to visit Amsterdam. It looked so interesting. Too bad it's not like this anymore. Also too bad KLM doesn't use this theme for their commercials anymore.

[@JTrost1234]

I'm here because of KLM.I remember the commercial. They said have an Amsterdam good time.

[@AgatheD]

aw bless! Loved this theme when a was a wee lassie

[@afishcalledwanda]

Brings back a lot of my youth... :-)

[@tommypowell2001]

When tv programs and Europe was 3rd world diversity-free and were so much better like it always should have been!!!

[@the_katman2181]

This series, dubbed into Afrikaans, was one of the very first TV series on South African television.

[@Voxac100b]

I always liked Barry Foster he was a good actor joked that he put his success down to people thinking he was John Thaw or Jon Pertwee LOL...

[@YIASEMIDE]

Voxac100b Humble guy.

[@stevobath]

1973 Eye Level by Simon Park Orchestra! :)

[@henkoosterink8744]

Composed by Jan Stoeckart, Dutch composer who passed away a few years ago.

[@youjoker9647]

@@henkoosterink8744 made famous by Simon Park Orchestra

[@henkoosterink8744]

@@youjoker9647 Who cares.

[@derrickfield8957]

What Amsterdam use to look like, such a shame it doesn`t today.

[@dwblurb]

@@Tampo-tiger Ignorant stupid fucker.

[@patrickglennon6834]

Why not?

[@derrickfield8957]

@@patrickglennon6834 : Full of non Dutch people of course.

[@patrickglennon6834]

@@derrickfield8957 I understand but still a great city.

[@derrickfield8957]

@@patrickglennon6834 : Great country full stop.

[@mwallace2922]

When the world worked.

[@thirdratecontent585]

Just bought the DVD box set! Love it

[@euanelliott3613]

I remember being in high school in 1977 and the music teacher Mr Parfitt handing out a 30 minute detention because I couldn't play this tune on a glockenspiel. I couldn't memorise the notes and was punished for it. I'm autistic, so thank you Mr Parfitt.

[@galacticfederations]

This seris depressed me it is a scar on my childhood... Goodbye

[@johnrider5701]

Now ITV makes shows like love Island that's progress I suppose.

[@mwallace2922]

Nope it's not.

[@pianoenthusiast11]

And there is a Citroen Ami 8 at 1 minute 1 second...FAB car!!

[@marinakos2930]

Thank you for the music

[@Racksel04]

Aus Kindertagen - lange gesucht - prima!!!

[@lratcliffe9151]

Ahhhhh! nostialga :) takes me right back.........

[@unicentre6967]

r.i.p barry foster

[@Useaname]

unicentre great actor. Gone too early.

[@YIASEMIDE]

Miss a man I never met. Strange, that.

[@AM-xz6bf]

Love this music x

[@d988518x]

You've got to fight for what you want and all that you believeetc loved it

[@sillybighat]

Love this show!!