The outstanding characteristic of German musical life has always been its ubiquity. Another feature was the existence of music centres in which local activities were enhanced by the regular participation of world famous artists as guests. In the first rank of these centres was Berlin, with its three opera houses and six large symphony orchestras, with many fine concert halls and often three or four recitals on the same evening. In addition, the capitals of almost all the Federal German States, and some of the medium-sized provincial towns as well, could offer a standard of musical activity far higher than that of most provincial centres in other European countries. The Munich and Dresden Operas were world renowned; the orchestras of Hamburg, Leipzig, Cologne and Frankfort (to name only some of the most important) were of a high calibre. But in its entirety, German musical life embraced an untold number of symphony and opera orchestras in towns which were otherwise quite insignificant, and drew a wide circle of visitors to the opera and concert performances of Municipal Theatres and local choral and orchestral societies. Here the standard of achievement, compared with the international top level, was naturally not very high. But in educating the general public, in encouraging new recruits to Music, these smaller places performed a cultural task of the greatest importance. Germany was the country with most orchestras and most opera stages.