<p>Perhaps La Marseillaise was still “legal” during the First Coalition (1792-1797) when Napoleon crushed the Prussians, Austrians, etc. and thus, the Marseillaise was played in Berlin. That would make a bit more sense. Since he would still rely on his connections with the Revolution until he was crowned Emperor, he would need all the Revolutionary “tools” at his disposal. I’d better go watch that show again. I double-checked my sources, and apparently, most of them say Napoleon I banned it during the reign of the Empire. Since the First Coalition was before Napoleon’s coronation (1804), it would have made sense.</p>
<p>In regards to comparing the Marseillaise from then to now, from what I hear, it was pretty much the same, except the Marseillaise from the past was a bit slower in tempo.</p>