Faking Beethoven

In 19th-century Vienna, Anton Felix Schindler is an ardent admirer of Ludwig van Beethoven. When he finally meets his musical idol, he is disappointed to discover that the great composer is not the elegant genius he had imagined, but a difficult, aging man with no patience for others. In order to remain close to him, Schindler takes on the role of secretary and assistant. In doing so, he endures humiliation and open contempt, while at the same time being plagued by jealousy of rivals and other members of Beethoven's circle. After Beethoven's death, Schindler recognizes his chance to make history—in the truest sense of the word. He begins to shape Beethoven's legacy by destroying original notebooks and inventing anecdotes. In doing so, he creates a heroic image of the composer and at the same time emphasizes his own importance in Viennese music history. Years later, Schindler's version of events is questioned by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, an American musicologist. Their confrontation reveals the fragile boundary between fact and myth – and raises timeless questions: Who determines an artist's legacy, and how easily can history be manipulated for fame, power, or simply for the love of art?