""I believe in God and in Beethoven."" " Richard Wagner" ""Beethoven is surprised to see a neighbor's shutters closed."" "I don't want my darling to die!" "Please, no!" "My sweet little girl!" "This can't be!" "No, I can't stand it!" "My precious!" "You're my little girl!" "Don't leave me behind!" "Answer me, my love!" "My little girl!" "I'll go with you, my love!" "My little girl!" "Thank you, sir." "It's Beethoven the god you are applauding, not me." " It's magnificent." " It's pretty." "It's a god you serve very well, Juliette." "Is our cousin also taking lessons from Beethoven?" "Charlotte is asking if you're taking lessons too." " All three of us take lessons from him." " We live only for him." " He's a genius." " A real genius!" "What is this Beethoven like?" "Is he handsome?" "No." "He's different." "Don't you think so, Therese?" "Is Juliette Beethoven's favorite student?" "That's not true." "He's charming to all of us." "But you must admit that if he comes here so often..." "It's mostly because of you, Juliette." "You'd do better to see which of us cares more for the tree... to which we've given his name." "Right, Therese?" "The mail from Vienna." "There will only be one letter." "You'll see." "A letter for Juliette Guicciardi and nothing for the Brunswicks." " From Beethoven?" " Yes." "Every day, my dear." "But not because of me." "What am I next to you, the great Beethoven?" "So far from you." "Trembling, like one of your branches." "Do you mind if I talk to you?" "Do you mind if my heart beats against yours?" "If this love remains a secret between us forever?" "You answer me as he would." "Look where you're putting that!" "So careless!" "As stubborn and insolent as a mule." "I'll fire her." "Look at this mess!" "At least if they were fresh." "They stink!" "Esther!" "I order you to listen to me!" "Oh, my poor man!" "It's that cow who won't stick to her kitchen!" "I had lunch already, thanks." "Last night I came up with a fantastic melody." "Listen!" "Thief!" "I composed that this morning." "How do you know it?" "You fox!" "Good day, Count." "Out for a walk?" "What luck to see you." "I'm going to a rehearsal of my Ballet of the Dryads... and I have some weak passages." "Even if you mess around with this, it'll still be good." "Thank you." "Any favor you want, dear sir." "A measure here and there." "Bird songs belong to everyone." "Let me see." "Juliette?" "The first happy moments I've had in two years." "Be careful." "You don't sleep." "You're on fire." "What if this doesn't work out?" "Do you know the mill in Heilingenstadt?" "A beautiful place to die." "Only marriage can save me." "I must have the support of a woman or I'll lose this." " Music?" " It's devouring me." "Pure romanticism." "For you, long live love, as long as you can eat." "For me, long live love forever!" "I've taken the liberty of accompanying your guests." "Don't worry, my dears." "I'm already gone." "Life is... magnificent." "And your reception is equally magnificent." "At Corrompas, you were more informally dressed." "I thought I was just right." "Mr. Elegant... that's me!" "And now I'm going to relax." "Sit down." "Yes, that's the best seat." "Now I've torn it!" "Since you've seen it..." " Now is the time to give it to him!" " No, you do it." "We've brought you a small gift." "Some shirts." "I'll accept because you've sewed them yourselves." "Don't tell him you were up all night making them!" "These letters were found under Juliette's pillow!" "Read them carefully." "I'm reading." "They're beautiful love letters." "They're so hard to write." "You remember?" "Is that all you have to say?" "For the time being." "Do you think I'll allow... this ugly music teacher without talent... to compromise Juliette?" "You sound like an angry child." "He's talking about asking for Juliette's hand!" "Yes, I noticed." "That's the weakest part of the letter." "I will refuse to see him." "So why all the excitement?" "Because this scandal will make it impossible... to find her a suitable husband!" " There isn't any scandal." " There will be." "No." "Juliette calms down all too quickly." "At her age, I was also in love with my music teacher." "I can't remember his name... just as she won't remember his." " Let me help!" " No." "If he sees you touching a plate, he'll break it on my head." "Start it over again, my girl." "This is impossible!" "Run your chords together!" "Are you doing that on purpose?" "I'm sorry." "I hurt your feelings." "Start over." "I'd rather continue some other time." "I've got an errand for my father." "I'll come back to get Juliette later." "It's really better this way." "I want to talk to you." "Go ahead, my little one." "Play, Ludwig." "Go ahead and play." "Improvise while I talk." "I'll be less ashamed." "What do you want to talk about?" "About what's happening to me." "It's so hard to say." "Particularly to you." "Here." "I'm obeying your command." "Yes, as you never have." "You don't know how much I admire you." "I feel that you'll be with me as long as my heart is beating." "And that you'll always listen to me... that your music will always answer." "I beg you to go on!" "It's as if we were among the trees at Corrompas, in the moonlight." "I know I'm only a child." "If I weren't talking to you..." "I wouldn't have the courage to confess that..." "I'm in love." "Carried off by love... forever." "And you're already letting me know that you believe me." "That you forgive me." "Robert came into my life unnoticed... and I love him." "I didn't hear you." "Repeat the last part." "I love Robert." "I didn't know I was in love when I met Count Gallenberg." "Then I understood... that I would never escape." "You're the first to know." "I behaved badly at Corrompas." "I was a fool." "Forgive me." "Blame only my youth and your genius." "But you're generous enough to remain my friend." "Nothing else was really possible between us." "My social background, my age, my parents." "You know, there's a chasm between us." "What you're playing is wonderful!" "Get married, my sweet." "He is young, handsome and noble." "You want me to be happy, don't you?" "Marry him." "Thank you." "I was sure you'd say that." "I have so much respect for you... that I believe you'll continue to be Robert's counselor... that you'd speak well of him to my mother... if it were necessary." " I'll speak to your mother." " Thank you." "Leave now." "As you wish." "What will you call what you're playing?" "In memory of the evening at Corrompas." ""Moonlight Sonata."" "Go." "Such a Romeo!" "What's going on?" "He was running like a madman." " I just left him." " He must be stopped!" "You stay here!" "What's the matter, Father?" "You dare ask me what's the matter?" "Aren't you ashamed?" "I know what you're up to!" "Don't be angry." "I love him unbearably." "And you're undoubtedly engaged?" " Yes." " To whom?" "Tell me!" "He's talking to Mother." "I'm going to throw him out!" "Look who's here!" "I would never have expected this!" "My dear Count." "Dear Robert!" "What a surprise!" "Some friends saw him go by." "He must have gone to the mill at Heilingenstadt." "You must be reasonable." "We'll never leave each other." "Work will help." "Swear you'll be strong, for the love of Juliette!" "Music will help you forget." "Music condemns me to live." "Look!" "You have an invitation from the Prince of Krieg." "He's offering you a pension of 600 florins." "He expects you tomorrow at his castle." "The empress may be there." "I've made my choice." "I'll live here." "Far from people." "I'll work." "I'll work." "Such a sudden decision surprises me." " I was told at Corrompas..." " By whom?" "I'm asking the questions." "That your music teacher was very... how should I say?" "... was very forward with you." "Yes." "He liked to carry me in his arms." "He's so strong!" "It was as if I were drunk." "If I had known Robert then..." "Everyone around me was crazy about Beethoven." " So you changed your mind?" " Little by little." "It was my first... strong feeling." "It's easy to confuse the artist with the man." "Slowly, I realized he was jealous, demanding... and everyone said he was growing deaf." "And..." "Robert is just as talented as Beethoven." "His ballet of the Dryads is so beautiful!" "Do you understand?" "You're a strange girl, Juliette." "I'd like to give you kids something for your help, but I have nothing." "I don't even know where the sugar is." "We're happy to help anyway." "I still want to give you something." "THE MOST TRAGIC MORNING OF BEETHOVEN'S LIFE ARRIVED." "Pierrot." "What is that noise?" "What noise?" "That roaring." "Don't you hear it?" "What's going on?" "Hit the keys." " Do you hear it?" " Of course." "Hit them louder." "What do you hear?" "I hear the piano." " What did you say?" " I said I hear the piano." "I hear the piano." ""I hear the piano."" "THE VOICE OF THE BELOVED..." "THE VOICE OF THE FOREST..." "THE SONG OF THE BIRDS..." "NEVERMORE!" "Do you hear them?" ""This is my testament:" "For the last six months..." "I have felt deafness closing in." "How could I live now?" "Alone I fly towards death."" ""Goodbye to all." "Don't ever forget me." "Kindly think of me as I have thought of you... and tried to make you happy." "I leave the same way I came."" "I can hear!" "I'll carry my voice to the sun!" "Come to the mill quickly." "I'm afraid!" "Come quickly!" "Let's leave him, Therese." "He's saved!" "For my work, for my art..." "I have the right to know the truth." "There will still be periods like this when you'll hear normally, but..." "But what?" "Little by little, deafness will become..." "Complete?" "How much time before... total isolation?" "Ayear at most." "Why do you love him?" "I don't know." "I love him better than I would if I knew why." "You've worked too much." "You've worn out your auditory nerves." "Beethoven deaf." "A deaf musician." "How ironic." "From my suffering..." "I'll forge joy for others." "Good-bye, Monsieur Beethoven." "Let me by." "I absolutely have to see him!" "I'm gonna be in trouble." "What did the doctor say?" "Nothing." "Nothing important." "Good." "Have you been working?" "I wish I could feel I'm of some help to you." "Help me?" "No one can help." "Not even that." "Let me try." "It's useless to hold out your hand to me." "But since I'll always hold it out... you'll take it in the end." "Maybe." "Promise me you'll return to Vienna." "What time is the wedding service?" "In an hour." "I'm staying here to keep Ludwig company." "Let me leave, Therese." "You've been so good until today." "I brought you back to Vienna." "You worked quietly." "You were brave." "Suddenly, because of the bells, all your promises vanish." "The bells." "Do you hear the bells of St. Etienne?" "I'm leaving." "I need some air." "It's just a bad moment I have to get through." "I'm afraid." "He had such a strange look." "Didn't you see it?" "No, Therese, not at all." " He's not here." " What?" " He just left." " Then come quickly!" "Please hurry!" " The count gambles?" " Really?" "What is that music?" "This wedding march is a joke!" "You mean macabre." "It's Beethoven." "He's locked himself in." " Try to get to him." " I'll try." "This is insane." "I don't understand." "I told you." "Ludwig bribed the organist." " Marion?" " Yes, to take his place at the organ!" "What a scandal!" "Who is playing that dirge?" ""Precisely because Gallenberg was always my enemy..." "I did everything I could for him."" "It's not worth our coming for these quartets." "He's never here." "What an idiot Ludwig is to help that miserable Gallenberg!" "All that so that Juliette can be proud of her husband." "What foolishness!" "Poor Therese won't be able to put up with this for long." "It will kill her." "Have you seen the look in her eyes?" "Gallenberg?" "Where's Gallenberg?" "Get rid of that." "You've behaved like a cad." "Do I keep you from coming to the house when Juliette is there?" "Is my music ready?" "Not yet." "Writing music for others, I have to hunt." "For my own music, I find it." "My poor little girl!" "I'm sure of it, Mother." "Robert never loved me." "He's a scoundrel." "You either see it too early..." "or too late." "When I compare him to Beethoven, I'm ashamed." "What an abyss there is between them!" "Unhappy, exhausted, Beethoven still helps Robert with his music... so I can feel my husband is somebody important." "Poor girl!" "How can I explain this?" "Beethoven made the first impression on me." "An indelible impression." "Robert has disappointed me." "Go away!" "I'm sure I have no real influence on you." "What do you mean, no influence?" "But you're my angel." "My guardian angel." "Earthly angels end up in a convent." "Never!" "I need you." "I need you for my work." "Is that really true?" "My friends, come here!" "What is it?" "I have great news to announce." "The engagement of Therese of Brunswick... to Ludwig van Beethoven." "When will the wedding be?" "Not right away." "I have to save some money." "I am so poor, my friend." "Come on, boys!" "If you deceive me..." "I'll kill myself." "You know that." "Yes, I know it." "That sonata again?" "I'm tired, my countess... of these arpeggios stolen from a Bach fugue!" "You, Robert, dare to talk about theft while I play Beethoven?" "And I thought you were being sentimental today." "I hate you... you lazy, miserable plagiarist!" "Viennese aristocracy!" "Pack your trunk." "We're moving to Rome." "The air there will do you good." "I don't want to!" "We'll see." "Ayear!" "It's been a year since I bought their engagement present!" "Ayear's delay for the official celebration." "Not bad!" " It's so strange." " Strange?" "But you know it's because Ludwig is poor!" "He didn't have the means to support a family." "That's true." "What's he doing?" " He's sleeping." " On a day like this?" " Wake him up!" " No, I won't do that." "Anything, but not that." " I'm worried." " Why?" "That man is not cured." "There's nothing to fear from Juliette." "Therese has completely changed Ludwig." "She's devoted to him." "Devotion isn't what inspires love in a man!" "I know that for sure." "You couldn't have welcomed me better, Ludwig." "Your music knew I was coming." "No, no!" "I must speak before you stop me." "I love you." "Only you." "I couldn't stay in Rome." "I arrived last night." "My parents don't know I'm here." "Juliette, I'm not hearing well." "My ears are ringing." "I'm afraid of misunderstanding you." "No." "You've understood me perfectly." "You must stop me." "Stop me from falling any further." "If you knew what my life is like!" "Forgive me for hurting you." "I remember the moonlight." "Your first betrayal." "How you must have suffered." "I felt it in all your music." "It called to me since I left, as a prisoner calls for light." "I was more jealous of your music than of Therese... because it was your music that consoled you." "We'll go away!" "Just the two of us!" "You will give to me... only to me... what you give to the world." "He's not to be disturbed." "Therese must be there." "A little violin!" "We've got more." "Go ahead, eat!" "It's the first time that music feeds its servant." "There is no happiness without cruelty, Ludwig." "I'm going to prepare our departure." "I'll be right back." ""My angel, my all, my very own self." "My heart overflows with all I have to say to you." "My thoughts rush towards you, my Immortal Beloved..."" ""My thoughts rush towards you, my Immortal Beloved... asking Fate if our desires will be granted." "I can live only with you." "My heart will belong only to you." "Your love has made me both the happiest... and the unhappiest of men." "Eternally yours."" "Ludwig!" "Therese is here!" "Thank you." "Is it for me?" "Of course." "Because if it weren't for me... this would be terribly cruel." "Therese." "Who else could it be for?" "I brought you a gift." ""To the one true genius... a great artist and a good man."" "And this is my surprise." "My gift to you." "I was so afraid!" "I don't know why." "If that letter had been for another woman, I would..." "My dear lovers, I remind you that your guests await you... as well as your bottles." "Therese, take pity." "We are so thirsty!" "Come now, please." "My dear!" "Come here!" "I'm so happy to see you!" "What luck that you're here!" " Will you ever forgive me, Therese?" " Forgive you?" "I forgave you long ago." "On a day as wonderful as this, how could I not forgive you?" "What do you mean?" "Look how he loves me now." ""My Immortal Beloved..."" "Beethoven wrote this letter to you?" " When?" " Just now." " It's my engagement present." " Engagement?" "Yes." "We're celebrating it now." "You hear?" ""My immortal beloved."" "Isn't it an extraordinary letter?" " Extraordinary." " And here's my present." "And look at this!" ""To my dear Therese of Brunswick"" " You see?" " I'll tell Ludwig you're here." " No." "Stay." "I won't cast the slightest shadow on your happiness." "He's happy." "Let him remain happy." ""My angel, my all." "My very own self." "My heart overflows with all I have to say to you... my Immortal Beloved." "My thoughts rush towards you... asking Fate if our desires will be granted." "I can live only with you."" "Therese!" "Give him this note!" " What is Therese doing?" " I don't know." ""My dear friend, I had forgotten to tell you... of the birth of my daughter, Nanette." "Farewell!" "I am returning to Rome forever."" "Therese, let us drink a toast to our engagement... and also, my friends... to Juliette's daughter..." "Nanette... of whose birth I have just learned." "To Therese!" "To Nanette!" "That's alcohol, Ludwig!" "If you wish..." "To give me your soul" "Let it first be in secret" "And let no one guess" "Our common thought" "No one" "LEONORE FOURTH SYMPHONY" "FIFTH SYMPHONY QUARTETS" "He's composing just as he did at the mill... without hearing the music." " He still hasn't married Miss Therese?" " No." " Why?" " I don't know." "We were to be married next month." "But it's impossible." "The doctor warned me." "I had so dreamed of having a wife." "The dream is over." "I beg you not to enter a convent." "I know you're thinking of it." "My fate is to live alone." "I wish that I could console him." "No." "He wants to be alone." "While I work, please don't go too far from me." "I don't want to be... completely forgotten." "I swear I'll never see Juliette again." "I ask you to..." "No, I'll never marry, Ludwig." ""No!" "I'll never marry... but I'll remain your closest friend."" ""Finish your 'Eroica' Symphony." "I won't leave the country until then."" "AND THAT EVENING, THERESE CONFESSED..." "HER MAGNIFICENT SACRIFICE." "Since you can't hear me..." "I can tell you of my love one more time." "I will have only spoken to you of my love twice in my life." "At Corrompas... and tonight." "You will see how I loved you." "Your terrible lie about the immortal beloved... makes you unhappy, while I alone must do penance." "I reestablish a balance." "I call Juliette's spirit... to your aid... to soothe your pain... and to give you courage." "I'll speak of her to you... every day, Ludwig." "Every day." "My heart is being torn apart." "At least the Beethoven tree will answer me." "Did you say something, Therese?" "Yes, you did." "I don't believe you." "You too." "You have fallen for the second time." ""Only my nephew, Karl, who is my only pupil... holds me to life during these terrible times."" "I'm in great difficulty, Mr. Steiner." "I don't even have enough to eat." "You owe me at least 200 florins." "Here is your "Mass in D."" "Seven buyers." "Last night, I did 33 variations on a Diabelli waltz... for a piece of bread." "I don't want them." "Your music is no longer in favor." "This is what sells." "Rossini and more Rossini!" "It's all they're playing these days." "Count!" "We haven't seen you for a century!" "Seven years, Mr. Steiner." "And I've brought you Rossini from Rome." "The great Rossini?" "Thank you, Count!" "Think of it as business." "How much, sir?" " Ten percent." " Here's an advance." "He didn't want to buy my music." "What an idiot!" "But we got a beer out of it!" "There's a lady there." "Was it good?" "A lady!" "Ludwig." "You were wrong not to take me back." "I can't go on." "I'm living in hell." "I live only with your music... through your music." "Without it, I would be dead." "I can't go on." "Won't you give me any hope?" "I can't hear anymore." "I can't hear you anymore, Juliette." "I can't hear anyone." "Besides, I promised..." " A little girl!" " Yes." "Teach her my music." ""AN UNHAPPY MAN..." "POOR, SICK, ALONE..." "SUFFERING MADE FLESH..." "TO WHOM THE WORLD REFUSES TO GIVE ANYJO Y."" " That's Beethoven!" " Yes!" " Is he coming out of church?" " No." "It's an abandoned monastery." "Does he live there?" "The government gave him the ground floor... because he's penniless." "These artists!" "No, no!" "No more credit here." " Madame Frechet..." " Call me Esther." "If he knew that you were still sweating blood for him... he would be furious!" ""Your Ninth Symphony was a total failure." "We sent your "Mass in D" to several rulers... and it was sent back to us." "Musicians at the Paris Conservatory refuse to play your 'Eroica.'" "Compose something light for the general public... if you wish to do business with me." " Ulsheimer, Editor"" "Why does he work every night?" "He copies his music over during the day." "He can't even pay his copyist." "All this for his horrible nephew." "Look!" "Buried in debts... ruined by lawsuits and Karl's needs... he will only accept what he earns." "Luckily I can still pay him for my son's lessons." "Do that passage again!" "The cold, the poverty... he's used to it, you know?" "Listen." "We must at all costs keep him from finding out... what a good-for-nothing his nephew is." "Absolutely!" "If he ever learns that Karl has become Juliette's lover..." "That's impossible, I tell you!" "If Beethoven doesn't throw that crook out... he'll end up in jail with him." "Esther!" "Did Karl have a good dinner?" "Why are you going through the drawers?" "Get out." "I'll clean up around here myself." "Get going." "What a disgrace!" "Such a scoundrel." "Thirteen years, Juliette." "Thirteen years, Therese." "I've changed, haven't I?" "I don't really belong in this world anymore." "I visit the poor." "That explains your presence here, huh?" "I started the first foundling home in Europe." "I do as much good as I can." "I learned... of your martyrdom here." "You're right, Therese." "It is a martyrdom." " And your daughter?" " Nanette?" "She's married to the singer, Cramolini." "She has no idea I'm in Vienna." "One thing seems horrible to me... incomprehensible." "What?" " Your affair with Karl." " Affair?" "Therese, you mustn't..." "You can't believe that!" "Then why do you receive that thief?" "Because he bears his name." "Because he speaks to me of Ludwig every day." "You should be able to understand." "I do it in the hope of getting closer to him... slowly, little by little." "This is how far I've come since Corrompas." "So... you too!" "ILLNESS STRIKES BEETHOVEN ON FEBRUARY 27, 1827" "What's the matter?" "Go get the doctor." "Take the money in the drawer." "Don't hold your breath, old man!" "ON MARCH 26, 1827, NEWS SPREAD THAT BEETHOVEN WAS D YING." "Don't cry, Esther, don't cry." "He spent three days waiting for help." "His filthy nephew hadn't bothered to notify the doctor." "I'm afraid it's too late now." "Is the operation a success?" "How many liters?" "Three liters of water." "Dropsy is relentless." "Go find a priest." "She's afraid... to look me right in the eyes." "Who?" "Death." "Don't even think that." "How I want to live!" "What's happening?" "I know him." "I absolutely have to..." "Ludwig, look!" "Too late." ""I was at a concert of your music... when I heard that you were asking for me." "I left at intermission." "Five rounds of applause... when the Emperor himself receives only three." "It's general frenzy there."" "What a shame." "Too late." "No, no!" "It's too unfair!" "The day when the whole world recognizes you!" "Such a great genius." "This blizzard." "It seems that the elements conspired against him." "His eyes beg for Karl ceaselessly." "God knows where he is." "The comedy... is over." "Applaud!" "Do you hear?" "The stage sets have been changed."