It is 9 June 1804. At the palace of Prince Lobkowitz, Beethoven is conducting the first performance of his Third Symphony, the Eroica. And through this film we attend the performance.

Through the exchanges between the characters represented, their words but also their expressions, we are reminded of the complete novelty of this symphony: its length, its unusual accents, its intense emotion and, of course, the disrupted musical rules.

During the interval, Beethoven takes the advantage to speak privately with Josephine von Deym. The romantic life of the master is then presented.

Haydn has the last word. When speaking of the music, he concludes: "From today, everything is different".

The camera moves through the orchestra, lingering on a detail, that we may participate in the music together with the musicians.

The film is remarkably well made.

Eroica was directed by Simon Cellan Jones, and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique is lead by John Elliot Gardiner.

Ludwig van Beethoven is performed with spirit by Ian Hart. He rejoices, he becomes sad, he catches fire, casting looks - severe or rougish - and his anger all show a very endearing and appealing Beethoven.

Leo Bill plays a Ferdinand Ries ill treated by his master. The women are played by Fenella Woolgar, as Princes Lobkowitz, Clair Skinner is Countess Brunswick and Lucy Ackhurst is Josephine von Deym. Jack Davenport is prince Lobkowitz and Frank Finlay is Jospeh Haydn.

Eroica was broadcast for the first time on Saturday 4th October at 21:15 on BBC2.

You can know buy the DVD of this film, don't wait!