Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (1803-1836) was the son of a teacher, justice of the peace and town councilman and was supposed to study law, according to the wishes of his parents.
After illness forced him to break off his legal studies he took composition lessons in Aarau. He obtained a scholarship to study in Berlin, which he finished in 1828. Back in Switzerland he struggled to support himself as a part-time teacher in the public schools and as private music teacher. Marital difficulties,financial problems and the lack of recognition of his musical abilities seem to have led to depression which drove him to suicide.
Theodor Fröhlich's oeuvre includes orchestral, chamber and piano music, as well as vocal music. Most was not performed in his lifetime. Many were not signed; recent research leaves room for doubt that all the works ascribed to him actually came from his pen.
