Factual error: What on earth is the conductor at the premiere of the 9th doing with a baton? This was not used until around 1849, and the premiere of the 9th is in 1824.

Factual error: When the so called "Immortal Beloved" visits Beethoven's grave at the end of the film, this is an impossibility. The grave is an 8 foot obelisk, but the original grave was about 2 feet tall, and on the other side of Vienna, in a different cemetery. Beethoven was exhumed in the 1880's and moved to his current location, the 8 foot obelisk, along with Schubert. The woman is visiting a grave which was built 30 years after she died.

Factual error: Despite all the wonderful period instruments, particularly pianos, in this film, the sound coming out of them is that of a modern grand piano, which sounds nothing like the lighter instruments of the time.

Factual error: Countess Erdody is shown to be playing the violin which is inaccurate as she never did, and a disability (which is also not shown) prevented this. She was however a very able pianist.

Factual error: If you look closely at the stage during the premiere of the 9th symphony, you can see there are no timpani, no brass, very few woodwind, and around 20 strings. Not only would it be impossible to perform the 9th with no timpani and brass, but it is well documented that the contingent of strings at that premiere was at least 56, triple the normal number used and the number shown.

Factual error: After the Countess escorts Beethoven from the stage after Piano Concerto No.5, she says "That is how the world heard of Beethoven's deafness," or words to that effect. First of all this was still fairly early in his hearing loss (around 1806), and the effect wasn't as severe as shown. Secondly, he was actually very public with his hearing problems when they did arise (he gave his last piano performance in 1814), often shouting in conversations and using ear horns and note books - so the majority of people knew without a public humiliation.

Factual error: Beethoven is seen removing the dedication to Napoleon from the title page of "Eroica" at the same time as the siege of Vienna. The dedication was removed several years before, when Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France.