Stamitz: Symphony in E-Flat Major

From Sappho of Mytilene to Kaija Saariaho and Clara Schumann, several women have managed to break through the macho codes of the milieu and become composers. While the classical music landscape has been largely dominated by men in recent centuries, the work of their female colleagues, whether pioneers or contemporaries, is just as fascinating. Here we put eleven undervalued figures of female composition in the spotlight.

The great Dutch conductor who died recently at the venerable age of 92 proved the old adage wrong. Recognised by his peers throughout his own country from his youth, Bernard Haitink spent most of his vast career in the Netherlands, first conducting the Dutch Radio Orchestra and then the prestigious Concertgebouw in Amsterdam for 27 years, with whom he made many legendary recordings for PHILIPS, DECCA and EMI CLASSICS, including more than 450 recordings of a wide range of composers, among which Bruckner and Mahler enjoy pride of place.

For over 60 years the Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich has amazed audiences all over the world with her wild, impulsive playing and her constant risk-taking, overcoming every technical difficulty by turning each of her performances into a fascinating journey.