In Search Of Beethoven
British filmmaker Phil Grabsky starts each documentary with a tabula rasa, by dismissing preconceptions.
So when he goes "in search" of a composer, he does exactly as the titles of his classical composer documentaries suggest: he looks for the truth.
Following the success of In Search Of Mozart, Grabsky has turned his attention to the master of early romantic music: Beethoven.
For many, the mention of the name Beethoven conjures images of a cantankerous ageing deaf man.
Certainly, stories abound about Beethoven's somewhat difficult behaviour, but after watching this film, one is more likely to think that he was simply focused, rather than misanthropic.
Grabsky has opted for a voiceover approach, with tight shots of the interviewees, interspersing segments of interviews with performances of Beethoven's music and brief macro shots of raindrops on bare tree twigs and so forth.
The photography in these instances is as poetic as some of Beethoven's finest lieder, with images that invite the viewer to reflect on what they're seeing and hearing in the film.
The highlight of the film, nevertheless, is the open honest and open participation of the musicians and historians who share their knowledge of Beethoven with us.
Particulary entertaining are Emanuel Ax and Ronald Brautigam, who are so comfortable with themselves and secure in their talent, that they have no problem acknowledging how technically demanding Beethoven can be. As we learn, the way some of his music was notated was practically impossible for musicians to perform - particularly pianists.
These talented people are obviously humbled before the genius of Beethoven.
Phil Grabsky prefers to focus on the cheeky, irreverent and romantic side of Beethoven, rather than reiterating the tired of tale of a lonely, deaf old man.
In Search Of Beethoven will have you rifling around in your CD collection in search of all your Beethoven CDs, which you'll no doubt want to re-visit.