Groomed for greatness by an often abusive father, Beethoven emerges as a great but difficult talent, an unstoppable force, until the onset of deafness tears his world apart.

Beethoven embarks on a new creative path and attempts to find love, however, as is often the case, the composer's life appears to be following a very different trajectory to his art.

As Beethoven embarks on the extraordinary flowering of his late music, his health deteriorates and his desire for love and family tips over into obsession.