On 20 September 2025, the Mallet Collective has released its new album Views from Dutch Trains, a musical exploration of the landscapes, encounters and atmospheres of train travel. The launch will be celebrated with a premiere concert in the Kunstkerk in Dordrecht, marking the start of a tour that will take the ensemble across the Netherlands and, in 2026, to Germany and Luxembourg.
The album brings together works by established and emerging composers, each offering a different perspective on rail travel. At its heart lies Views from a Dutch Train by composer Jacob ter Veldhuis (also known as JacobTV), written in 1992 and reimagined for two marimbas in close collaboration with the composer. Originally composed for two accordions, the piece unfolds in a minimalist, pop-inflected style. It evokes the shifting scenery of the Dutch landscape: expansive plains, quaint villages and industrial zones. According to artistic director and marimbist Ramon Lormans, “The work begins intensely, like the rush of boarding a train, and gradually settles into a meditative flow, as if watching the countryside roll past through the window.”
Alongside Ter Veldhuis’s seminal work, the album features several world premieres, including Op de uitkijk by young composer Jannum Kruidhof. His piece opens with a reflective choral section that conveys the anticipation of a journey. Midway, the atmosphere becomes wild and groove-driven, capturing the chaos of an overcrowded carriage, before returning to a calm resolution as the destination is reached. Kruidhof’s contribution highlights the album’s central theme: the train as both a physical and emotional journey.
Other featured works include Koploper by Anastas Paev, which mimics the rhythms of a train starting up and slowing down, Dubbelspel by Jo Sporck, DeSoLaTion by Misha Sporck, and Jagged Noir by Anthony Fiumara. Performed by marimbists Ramon Lormans and Georgi Tsenov, the pieces showcase the ensemble’s distinctive approach to expanding the repertoire for marimba and vibraphone.
Since its debut at the Concertgebouw in 2016, the Mallet Collective has built an international reputation for innovative programming and for bringing together leading European percussionists. With Views from Dutch Trains, the ensemble not only presents new music but also reaffirms its mission to enrich the sound world of melodic percussion.
Views from Dutch Trains is available from 20 September 2025. The release tour begins the same day in Dordrecht and continues with concerts in Roermond, Utrecht, Maastricht and other cities through early 2026.
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