A music history (almost) without men. In the history of classical music, women still play a minimal role – yet there were already female composers in ancient times. Aliette de Laleu tells their stories in compelling portraits and introduces us to the works of such diverse personalities as Sappho, Hildegard of Bingen, Clara Schumann, Ethel Smyth, and Kaija Saariaho. She also explains why female composers often did not receive the recognition they deserved. A brilliant and educational book. Anne-Laure Poisson, Le Point.