Beethoven was the theme of the 14th exhibition of the Vienna Secession in 1902, and Max Klinger's sculpture was brought to Vienna as the centerpiece. The Vienna Secession had hoped to purchase the sculpture but this was not to come to fruition. Headed by Alfred Roller, the artist of the Secession created works on the theme for the galleries and Roller and the architect Josef Hoffmann oversaw the overall installation. Klinger's "Beethoven" was installed in the central hall with Alfred Roller's mural "Night Descending" on the wall behind it. Gustav Klimt's seminal "Beethoven Frieze" was visible in an adjoining room. Even the normally shy and retiring Gustav Mahler was persuaded to transcribed music from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony for trumpets and rehearse the musicians for the opening. The exhibition, presented within the specific architecture, with the sculpture, paintings, and music was in part, offered in the context of the Gesamtkunstwerk, comparative to a contemporary installation. The exhibition received extensive press, and generated a scandal. Most of the hostile and negative reviews were directed at Gustav Klimt and his murals. However, Klinger's sculpture received its criticism as well, some dismissing it as kitsch, while others were offended by seeing Beethoven represented nude. Auguste Rodin attended the exhibition and was reported to have walked past Klinger's sculpture without comment, although at a later time he said it had nothing to do with sculpture.