Anneliese Goldman briefly reviewed the film in 1986, concluding that "The superb nuances and timing of all the performances, together with Haydn's music (in both orchestral and electronic forms) and Adlon's inventive use of video, make this "chamber piece" a treat for the eye, ear and mind.

In July 1792, he visited the Slough observatory of William Herschel, the astronomer and musician who was famed for his discovery of the planet Uranus and its moons.

The film suggests that Haydn's famed oratorio The Creation (1797) was inspired by this visit.

However, a summary of recent published work indicates that William Herschel was not present when Haydn visited the observatory, and that there is little if any evidence for a direct influence of Herschel's work with the oratorio.

[3] The elaborate set designs in the film are the work of the sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi.