The numerous explicit formulae of the classical theory of quadratic forms revealed remarkable multiplicative properties of the numbers of integral representations of integers by positive definite integral quadratic forms. These properties were explained by the original theory of Hecke operators. As regards the integral representations of quadratic forms in more than one variable by quadratic forms, no multiplicative properties were known at that time, and so there was nothing to explain. However, the idea of Hecke operators was so natural and attractive that soon attempts were made to...