Vienna, 1813. The composer Ludwig van Beethoven (played by Donatas Banionis) is getting more and more poor. The secret police start visiting the artist because of his democratic political views. The love to a young countess Josephine (Renate Richter) is also left unanswered but the difficulties does not break the composer’s spirit. Somewhere in the emptiness one can already hear the first sounds of the Symphony no. 9.