On the third album in our series, we present our own selection of more then three hours of music that was recorded as the original soundtrack for the 1976 television series De komst van Joachim Stiller (The Arrival Of Joachim Stiller), based on the novel by Hubert Lampo and directed by Harry Kümel. The selection of scintillating compositions and arrangements, performed by the Francis Bay TV Orchestra, brings us a haunting soundtrack album full of magical realism, psychedelics, bar jazz and catchy, tight basslines.
The extra 7″ that comes with this album comprises a theme played by the orchestra that was dubbed with the live recording of a real carillon. “Stiller” is the magnum opus from the Belgian soundtrack maestro Pieter Verlinden.
Pieter Verlinden (1934-2002) was an exceptional composer responsible for hundreds of scores and soundtracks for television, ballet, theatre and film. Only some of his soundtracks were released at the time, like De 5 van de 4-daagse (The Five Are Marching In, 1974), Een mens van goede wil (A Man of Good Will, 1974) and De dood van een non (Death of a Nun, 1976).
Most of his work was only preserved on the original master tapes in his personal archive, so the majority of Verlinden’s music has never been heard and is unknown. With the album series The PV Tapes, 678 Records pays tribute to the maestro of Belgian film music.