Wargaren

Wargaren were a Dutch trad-folk quartet active during the mid-1970s. The band released their lone album, Met Stille Trom, on the local Universe Productions label in 1976.

Members: Rob Smaling (guitar, vocals), Rina de Heus (vocals, autoharp), Kees van der Poel (guitar, vocals), Jurek Willig (guitar, vocals)

A balanced clarity of interplay is exhibited on “Dit Le Bourgignon/Allen Die Willen Te Kaapren Varen,” where mandolin and glockenspiel weave atop acoustic strings that span the octaves of Gmin — a tapestry drowned at medley’s end in violin-swept chordal strum.

The voluminous, flute-laced strum of “Jan De Mulder/Berendans” supports the Dutch contralto of Heus, as does the slower, more subtly layered “Dag, O Langgewenste Dag.” Further evidence of the band’s ensemblic tightness is heard on “Prins Karel Is Over De Rijn/De Rotta” — a two-part jig where flute and mandolin dance high notes amidst droning autoharp and martial bass-drum.

Wargaren recorded no more, but Poel and Willig would resurface two years later in the similarly styled two-album act Wolverlei.