«The Ravens»
In 2006 Rahel Fröbel and Angela Steinauer, two Abbey students, wanted to launch a vocal quartet. Because they could not find male voices amongst their fellow students they asked P. Urban and P. Lukasto join them. With the vocal quartet complete, they based its name on the animals of the Einsiedler Coat of Arms “The Ravens”.
Although they thoroughly enjoyed making music, Rahel Fröbel and Angela Steinauer kept the financial support of Namwala Secondary School, which they previously visited, as their priority. The vocal quartet held many concerts in the years that followed and always intrigued the audience with a broad spectrum of vocal diversity.
In June of 2012 they recorded their first and most likely last CD. Job commitments made regular joint vocal practice more difficult, making the one and possibly only CD even more valuable. Due to delays in the production of the CD fate had it that the CD finally hit the market at the same time as the new Abbot was announced. The fact that P. Urban Federer was a member of “The Ravens”, and was now the new Abbot of Einsiedeln, made the CD even more special.
What do the four Ravens sing, you ask? The CD includes 17 a capella songs with extraordinary diversity including Latin Motets, Folksongs, Beatles songs, as well as Classic and Pop songs. The entertaining mix is garnished with two African songs to commemorate the original purpose of the CD. All proceeds from sales go to Namwala Secondary School! For those that would like to purchase this musical delight for themselves or others it is available in the Monastery of Einsiedeln store for 33 francs.