A life for music: Werner Fröhlich's massive record collection

A life for music: Werner Fröhlich's massive record collection

In a small town like Zwettl, you may not be able to count on a huge music collection, but Werner Fröhlich proves the opposite. The 83-year-old pensioner has an impressive collection of 83,000 music titles, some of which are over 100 years old. This passion makes him a real eye -catcher in the region and has led to a kind of musical treasure that hides behind an inconspicuous wooden door.

The collection includes a variety of sound carriers, with vinyl plates forming the heart. Lower Bavarian changes in the music landscape over the decades have meticulously sorted to the ceiling on its shelves. There are also historical players such as gramophones, which he has restored himself. "It is an addiction," admits happily and explains that the love of music began in childhood. "My parents had some records from the 1930s. While others brought with them at our youth meetings, I always had the music with me. My gramophone was always part of it."

The fascination of the swing jazz

Fröhlich's weakness applies to the swing jazz, who captured him from the start. This preference has only increased over the years. -"I constantly expand my collection through online platforms if my budget allows it," he explains. He is particularly proud of clay rollers from wax, which went back to the early 20th century and developed by the inventor Thomas Alva Edison. He also has the necessary playback devices with which a sapphire is used as a needle and has a proud 120 such historical rollers.

But its true heart is the vinyl plates: "For me, every plate radiates a warm tone, very different from CDs. These sound to me. In addition, you have something in your hand that is not the case with MP3 downloads. The plate is what counts." This is how he sees it and clearly pulls the handy records into the digital formats.

a life for the music

He also had a connection to music to the radio -regulating Günther Schifter, who died in 2008, who also had a passion for records. "I often stopped by in Red Löwengasse. His apartment was full of plates and shellaces over two floors," recalls Fröhlich. "He knew the stories behind every plate and knew who played and where the recording took place. It was phenomenal!" The two had many plans for the future together, which unfortunately remained unfulfilled due to Schifter's illness.

Despite his age, Werner Fröhlich remains active. He paints, photographs and continuously enriches his comprehensive music collection. It is impressive to see how love for music has not only become a passion, but a way of life for him. His treasures are much more than just recordings - they are memories, stories and a valuable piece of culture that he preserves.

For more information about the fascinating world of Werner Fröhlich and his impressive musical heritage, See the report on noe.orf.at .