Television Top of the Form - Theme Tune - BBC TV 1960s - Marching Strings by Ray Martin

Top Of The Form's well-known signature tune was used on the popular radio quiz as well as on the TV version 'Television Top Of The Form' for many years.
The radio version of Top Of The Form began on the BBC Light Programme way back in 1948 and ran all the way until 1986. The format was a straightforward general knowledge quiz for secondary school children with one school's team pitted against another.
Although a couple of television editions were broadcast in the 1950s, Television Top Of The Form as we knew it didn't begin until 1962. It then ran until 1976. One edition was entirely conducted in the medium of the Welsh language, and many editions were staged as international competitions - called Transworld Top Team.
Sadly the programme died a death on the altar of the BBC's political correctness - these days every child needs to be a winner, right? Hmmm... Come to think of it, why on earth are exams and sports still allowed in schools?
The very first radio theme tune was a piece by Debussy, but by far the best known theme tune was this one - Marching Strings - composed by Ray Martin, although Martin used the pseudonym Marshall Ross for this composition.
Later radio series used Emerson Lake and Palmer's version of Aaron Copland's Fanfare For the Common Man.

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Disclaimer: I do not claim any copyright in the broadcast or the music composition or performance. This clip is uploaded purely for historic interest and should not be used commercially in part or in whole.

[EmotionallyBankrupt]

Apparently, according to the archive of the (Scottish) Sunday Post newspaper, this was broadcast on Wednesday 27 February 1963. BBC One started April 1964. There was only one BBC channel when this was broadcast. Good picture for the 405-line of 1963.

Scottish viewers thought the questions were too much about England

[EmotionallyBankrupt]

The years of 1962 to 1974 of the Kirkintilloch Herald - have been added to the British Newspaper Archive yesterday. We now know who was in the Lenzie Academy team. It was Linda Tennant, Marilyn Barr, Joan Dunlop and Ruth Arnaud.

What I'm delighted in also finding out from the Kirkintilloch Herald, was that David Dimbleby was the son of Richard Dimbleby.

[andyclark]

Wow. I was just making tea and this music popped in my head. This is going well back. 😮😊

[MrDunkiep]

I remember the radio theme tune. I was very small😂

[gerry]

Must have spent a fortune on those speciel non effects ! 😅