Plot
Ten-year-old Christoph's physician father has died, and his family struggles to make ends meet. Christoph's uncle Kurt, a student at the Vienna Conservatory, arranges for Ludwig van Beethoven to rent their attic room. Kurt is thrilled to have the famous composer living at his late brother's house, despite Beethoven's dismissive attitude toward a mere student. Christoph, however, doesn't like having a stranger in the house, is put off by Beethoven's eccentric behavior (such as dumping food on a waiter during a quarrel), and is teased by the neighborhood children for having a madman in the house. Kurt tells Christoph about the pain of Beethoven's deafness and implores him to give the man a chance. When Christoph's mother enters Beethoven's room, he is writing music on the shutters, presumably for lack of paper. Seeing her shock, he sheepishly suggests she could later sell the shutters as collectors items. He asks her about her musical background, and she plays " Für Elise" for him, beginning to see his softer side. While working on his Ninth Symphony in his room with other musicians, Beethoven needs to make edits, but has destroyed all their pens in previous fits. They frantically send Christoph out to buy more, but they leave before he returns. So Beethoven takes Christoph out for a walk, where the two begin to form a bond. Soon, Christoph begins seeing things from Beethoven's side. After overhearing Beethoven talk about his misery from being deaf, Christoph gives him an ear trumpet designed by his father. Kurt comes over to the house for another rehearsal, beaming that he will be part of the orchestra at the premiere of the Ninth. Beethoven notices Christoph and his mother listening outside the door, and promises them tickets to the performance. As the date of the concert nears, Beethoven becomes increasingly stressed and frustrated by setbacks. Christoph enters after Beethoven has had yet another quarrel with Sophie, their maid, and accidentally spills the sheet music for the concert. Beethoven angrily orders him out. Kurt reassures Christoph that Beethoven's notorious tempers are short-lived and that someone able to write music as he does must have a great heart. Later, Beethoven humbly apologizes to Sophie for his behavior and hands her the tickets to give to Christoph and his mother. The concert is a great success. Beethoven is nominallyCast
* Neil Munro as Ludwig van Beethoven * Illya Woloshyn as Christoph * Fiona Reid as Mother * Paul Soles as Anton Schindler * Albert Schultz as Uncle Kurt * Sheila McCarthy as SophieAccolades
References
External links
* {{Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program 1992 films 1992 drama films Depictions of Ludwig van Beethoven on film Films set in the 1820s Films set in Vienna Canadian drama television films Films shot in Prague 1992 television films Canadian historical drama films Films about composers Films about classical music and musicians 1990s Canadian films Films about disability